ICL World Series: Preview

The ICL World Series is a T20 competition between teams led by Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICL Pakistani), Chris Harris (ICL World), Habibul Bashar (ICL Bangladesh) and R Sathish (ICL India). Inzamam and Bashar have the advantage of playing with the same team that featured in the ICL 20s Indian Championship whereas Harris will lead the best of the world and Sathish will take charge of the best of the Indian players.

India are the defending champions but Pakistan look the best team. They have the power players, the spinners and the momentum of a winning team. Imran Nazir and Imran Farhat have sizzled at the top, Inzamam and Mohammad Yousuf provide stability in the middle, Naved-ul-Hasan has been very effective with the new and old ball and Saqlain Mushtaq has strangled batsmen with his variety. Pakistan are bolstered further by the inclusion of Abdul Razzaq, who turned out for Hyderabad Heroes in the Indian Championship.

The four teams will now take each other on, once in a round-robin format, and then a final between the two top teams.

There is Rs 2.74 crore (US$552,931) up for grabs. Winners of this tournament stand to gain Rs 1.25 crore (US$252,250) and the runner-up will cash in Rs 75 lakh (US$151,350). The financial incentive for every win at the league stage will be Rs 10 lakh while the Man of the Match will collect Rs 2 lakh.

Teams:

ICL Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Imran Nazir, Abdul Razzaq, Arshad Khan, Haafiz Shahid, Humayun Farhat (wk), Imran Farhat, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Yousuf, Naved-ul-Hasan, Riaz Afridi, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Nazir, Shahid Yousuf, Tahir Mughal, Taufeeq Umar.

ICL India: R Sathish (capt), Abbas Ali, Hemang Badani, Stuart Binny, Deep Dasgupta (wk), Eklak Ahmid, Rohan Gavaskar, R Jesuraj, Ibrahim Khaleel (wk), Ali Murtaza, Rakesh Patel, Ambati Rayudu, Inder Shekar Reddy, Reetinder Sodhi, G Vignesh

ICL Bangladesh: Habibul Bashar (capt), Aftab Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Dhiman Ghosh (wk), Farhad Reza, Golam Mabud, Mahbubul Karim, Manjural Islam, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Sharif, Mosharraf Hossain, Nazimuddin, Shahriar Nafees, Tapash Baisya

ICL World: Chris Harris (capt), Andre Adams, Marvan Atapattu, Nicky Boje, Jason Gillespie, Murray Goodwin, Avishka Gunawardene, Andrew Hall, Ian Harvey, Nantie Hayward, Justin Kemp, Lance Klusener, Damien Martyn, Paul Nixon (wk).