Sussex expect Mushtaq to play

While the Indian Cricket League and ECB continue to spar, there is encouraging news for Mushtaq Ahmed, who has received a second No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

It comes as a surprise: earlier this month the PCB had said that they would withdraw Mushtaq's first NOC, which would have prevented him from playing for Sussex due to his ICL involvement. But with this second certificate, it seems increasingly likely that Mushtaq's county career should continue. For the time being, at least.

"We've provided the ECB with a second certificate, which we received on Monday, and we are just waiting for everything to be formalised,'' said Gus MacKay, the Sussex chief executive. "We don't foresee a problem."

In Mushtaq's favour - certainly in the eyes of the PCB - was his delay in playing for his ICL side, the Lahore Badshahs, which seems to have helped in his bid for a second NOC. Yorkshire, though, are still waiting on Rana Naved-ul-Hasan who has already played for Lahore.