ICL players get an amnesty - Can play for India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has lifted the ban on players from the Indian Cricket League (ICL) following a committee meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Players from the ICL will now be available for international cricket within a year, if they sever ties with the unsanctioned Twenty20 tournament.

BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who chaired the meeting, said the offer of an "amnesty" would only be available until May 31.

"The working committee of the BCCI has taken a decision to grant amnesty to players of the ICL," he said.

"We have given them time, until May 31, by which they can sever all their ties with ICL and return to the BCCI fold.

"We have taken a further decision that those players, as well as support staff associated with the ICL who return to the BCCI, will not be allowed to play international cricket nor will be given an international assignment for a period of one year."

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) could waive the one-year "cooling period" proposed by the Indian board for players returning from the unsanctioned ICL to international cricket. Such a move would raise the tantalising prospect of exiled pacemen Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey returning to the fold for New Zealand's next bilateral international assignment, the August tour of Sri Lanka.

While Bond responded cautiously to news of the BCCI's amnesty to its ICL players -opening the door for them to return to first-class cricket with immediate effect, and international cricket in 12 months, provided they severed ties with the Zee Group-owned competition - NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan was hopeful the development could pave the way for New Zealand to again field a full strength line-up.