Pakistan batsman Yousuf to get legal aid

Lahore, Jan12 : Pakistan star batsman Mohammad Yousuf will get a legal representation from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the next arbitration hearing in Mumbai on January 24 investigating his pullout from the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

ICL signed him up in September when he was dropped from the Pakistan's team for the World Twenty20.

But afterwards PCB persuaded him to return back and he agreed to represent Pakistan.

The organisers of the ICL are saying that Yousuf is backing off on his contract and now he should appear for IPL (Indian Premier League).

ICL sent him a legal notice last year, which prompted the arbitration hearing.

However, neither Yousuf nor any representation appeared for last hearing of ICL in Mumbai in December.

"There is another hearing on January 24 in Mumbai and we want them to hear Yousuf's side of the story before they take any decisions," the Daily Times quoted Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, as saying.

"This is an arbitration hearing trying to mediate in this dispute, not a court of law. They issued a hearing without listening to Yousuf's version last time and we want to make sure that doesn't happen this time. We will have legal representation at the next hearing," he further added.

Meanwhile, PCB has also filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, requesting to shift the hearing to Lahore, as Yousuf is based there and the contract was signed there too.

ANI