Yousuf and Razzaq set for international return

Mohammad Yousuf could be back in Pakistan colours in a little more than a month © AFP Enlarge

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The ICL has accepted the resignations of Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq, paving the way for their return to official cricket, possibly as early as Pakistan's tour of Sri Lanka which starts in late June.

While some national boards have set a 'cooling period' before players associated with the ICL are considered for selection, the PCB is accepting both players into official cricket immediately. "They are available for selection now and that is a good thing," Wasim Bari, director HR of the PCB, who has been handling the ICL cases, told Cricinfo. "Cooling period doesn't come into it."

Yousuf had signed up with the ICL in 2007 but was lured out of the contract by the PCB administration of the day. However, legal wrangles denied him an IPL contract in 2008 and he rejoined the ICL in November. That virtually ended his career with Pakistan, but the latest development could see him back in national colours in little more than a month's time.

His team-mate Razzaq hasn't played for Pakistan in more than two years, and had even announced his international retirement in August 2007 after being excluded from the national side for the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa. He had signed up with the ICL then, but earlier this month he said he was ready to pledge his future to Pakistan.