ACA ready to accept its ‘rebel’ cricketers

By our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI, April 30: With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lifting the ban on ICL cricketers, the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) is now ready to accept the five State cricketers if they quit the ICL. However, their place in the State team would entirely depend on the decision of the selectors.

Speaking on the decision of the BCCI, the secretary of the ACA Bikash Barua told mediapersons today that the ACA would have no objection if the five State cricketers want to return to domestic cricket, severing all ties with the ICL. “BCCI has already decided to grant ‘amnesty’ to those cricketers who would quit the ICL and we too are ready to accept them if they fulfil the necessary formality.”

There are five State cricketers—Zakaria Zuffri, Abu Nachim Ahmed, Parvez Aziz, Sujay Tarafdar and Pritam Das— playing for the ICL. Except Zakaria, all four are in their early stage of their career. Few former cricketers of the State said that if Abu, Sujay and Pritam return to the Ranji squad then the teams new ball attack would assume better striking power.

When asked whether the ICL cricketers would be selected in Ranji squad once they quit the ICL, Barua said, “It will all depend on the selectors.”

Meanwhile, a section of the ACA is still unhappy on the five players as they, prior to joining the ICL, spoke negatively on the activities of the ACA. On this, Barua said, “ This disturbs me too. I will discuss the matter with senior officials of the ACA and try to cool the matter down.” THE SENTINEL