Pakistan's return to the IPL remains on hold with the national board (PCB) confirming it has not received any letters of invitation from the tournament organisers to its players to initiate the visa process. The deadline set by the IPL for receiving No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and visa paperwork was November 20, but a day after that PCB COO Wasim Bari has said he received no intimation about a step forward.

"As far as I am concerned not a single player, who is interested in the IPL gave me an invitation letter of the IPL," Bari told Dawn. "Though the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has already been in contact with the government to seek guidelines on this issue, whether to allow the players to play in the IPL or not, an invitation from the IPL is nevertheless mandatory.

"I only want an invitation letter from the players and the guideline of the government and that is all from my side."

Pakistan's players were absent from the second IPL, held earlier this year in South Africa, after their government did not allow them to travel to India - where the tournament was originally to be held - for security reasons.

The PCB and the league have been in contact to clear the paperwork required for players to return after a one-year gap. Last week Bari told told Cricinfo that the PCB had sent NOCs to the IPL and requested the management to sent invitation letters.

The third edition of the IPL will held in March-April next year.