The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a cautious initial response to the news that four of its leading players had signed up with the Indian Cricket League (ICL), saying that they would like to confirm the reports with the players before proceeding with any action.

The ICL announced earlier today that Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq and Imran Farhat had signed contracts with them, putting an end to weeks of speculation.

The board has reiterated that any contracted player joining the ICL would thereafter not be considered for selection for Pakistan. Of the four, only Farhat had signed a central contract, though he has, on his own request, been released from it. Yousuf and Razzaq had been offered contracts but hadn't signed them, reportedly in protest against their omission from the Twenty20 World Championship squad. Inzamam was not included in the list of centrally-contracted players.

But Shafqat Naghmi, the board's chief operating officer, told Cricinfo no action would be taken until and unless the players confirm the reports themselves. "It wouldn't be fair to act without confirmation from the players. Once that has happened, action will be taken."

Naghmi, however, stopped short of saying bans would be imposed on the players, as is the board's policy. "We are very clear on what our policy is, but for any ban, the decision has to be approved by the ad-hoc committee."

How much the decision of the four will hurt Pakistan is also not yet clear. Farhat has been out of favour in shorter formats of the game, but it is thought he was still in the running as a Test opener. Razzaq has already announced his retirement from international cricket and though Salahuddin Ahmed, the chief selector, insisted he is still part of Pakistan's plans, other officials privately concede the future may not be so bright.

Inzamam has already retired from ODI cricket, though he insists he still wants to play Tests for Pakistan. But having missed out on a central contract, his immediate future was also not rosy.

As Naghmi acknowledged, however, in a statement with more meaning than is immediately apparent, the loss of one player could be the most significant. "If it is true that they have signed up, then losing Yousuf would be the biggest blow to Pakistan cricket."