By IANS
Kolkata : A host of international cricketers, including former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener and Kiwi star Craig McMillan, are likely to attend a conditioning camp here later his week for taking part in the Indian Cricket League (ICL) Twenty20 tournament.
The tournament that commences Nov 30 will have six teams.
Calcutta Tigers will comprise Sri Lankan leg-spinner Upal Chandana, Pakistan’s Azhar Mahmood, England’s Darren Maddy, Klusenar and McMillan.
The other teams are Chandigarh Lions, Mumbai Champs, Delhi Jets, Chennai Superstars and Hyderabad Heroes.
The camp will be held till November 22.
“It’s not yet final, but these players are likely to represent Calcutta Tigers. There will be one more foreigner in the side,” Pranab Roy, who is set to join as a coach for Calcutta Tigers, told IANS Wednesday.
The players from six teams will have some practice matches in Mumbai from Nov 23 to 27, before heading for Panchkula, Chandigarh, for the tournament.
As things stand now, Delhi Jets will be coached by former India all rounder Madanlal with former BCCI selector and Indian middle-order batsman Ashok Malhotra likely to be his deputy.
Former India coach Sandeep Patil is set to take charge of Mumbai Champs. Pranab Roy will assist Cullinan in the Calcutta Tigers side.
The league, seen as a rebel establishment to the Indian cricket board, will have its camp at the Calcutta Cricket and Football Club (CC&FC) ground.
The announcement has already sent the CAB into a tizzy with the BCCI asking them to assure that no such steps are taken.
However, Essel group is a corporate member of the CC&FC and on that pretext Rohan Gavaskar, Deep Dasgupta and their colleagues along with the foreign cricketers could well have the practice.
CC&FC sources said, “If the corporate members individually want to practice here, we can’t stop them.”
The CC&FC and CAB are believed to have reached a consensus in which the former will host only ICL-organised camp and not any matches.
CAB president Prasun Mukherjee said he had already spoken to CC&FC management and got the assurance that no match would be held there.
It has also been taken care of that the players don’t sport the ICL logo while practising. But it remains to be seen what happens.
CAB Secretary Samar Pal told IANS, “We have talked with the CC&FC and the matter has been sorted out.”