Yousuf gets PCB go-ahead to play in Bangladesh

Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf who was last week banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from playing for the country, has been permitted to play in a private league in Bangladesh. This comes on a day when the board reiterated that players need its permission for taking part in foreign competitions.

"PCB firmly conveys to all concerned that no player is allowed to play cricket outside Pakistan without having prior approval from the board in this regard," the PCB statement said. "Any player interested to play cricket in any part of the world should apply to the board to seek permission for the same."

Several members of Pakistan's World Twenty20 squad, including Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Hafeez, were scheduled to play in Bangladesh later this month but Cricinfo understands that none of the twenty-member contingent (15 plus five reserves) will be allowed to travel as the board wants them to participate in the training camp for the world tournament beginning in the Caribbean late next month. Yousuf who is not a part of any of the national squads, has been cleared to play.

The announcement came a week after PCB banned and fined seven leading players, on various charges during the disastrous tour of Australia from December 2009-February 2010. Pakistan lost all three Tests, five ODIs and the lone Twenty20 match on tour.

Former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf were banned indefinitely, while Shoaib Malik and allrounder Naved-ul-Hasan received one-year bans. Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal were fined between Rs 2-3 million [USD24,000-35,000], and put on six-month probations.