LAHORE, 17 August 2007 — Out of favor opener Imran Farhat yesterday became the first Pakistani cricketer to confirm he is on the verge of signing a lucrative deal with a breakaway Indian league.

“It’s almost done and I am about to sign the deal to play in the India league,” Farhat told AFP. His commitment is likely to earn him around $300,000 for a season but may cost him a place in the national side in the future.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has warned that any player who chooses to participate in the multi-million-dollar rebel league will not be considered for future selection in the national team, but Farhat was unperturbed.

“Look what has happened to me in the past six or seven months and I am not comfortable with that. I don’t only want a central contract but I want playing opportunities,” said Farhat, who was axed from the 15-man Pakistan squad for the Twenty20 World Cup.

Top Pakistani cricketers were targeted for the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL), which is being bankrolled by Zee Telefilms, India’s largest listed media company.

Seven current players - captain Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq — were offered lucrative contracts to play in the ICL Twenty20 tournament.

Akhtar, Malik, Asif, Afridi and Younis snubbed the offers while Yousuf and Razzaq - both dropped from next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa and yet to sign with the PCB — are still considering their offers. Former captain Inzamam ul-Haq, who retired from one-day cricket after Pakistan’s first-round exit from the World Cup in the Caribbean, is also weighing his options. Most of the players linked to the ICL are retired, semi-retired or unable to hold a place in their national side.

Farhat, a 27-year-old left-handed batsman, has scored 1,655 runs in 27 Tests and 974 runs in 33 One-Day Internationals. He was also overlooked for the 50-over World Cup held in the Caribbean earlier this year.

Farhat was fined and reprimanded for a phone call he made to the chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed after he was not picked for a one-day series against Sri Lanka in May this year. The cricketer was then placed on six-months probation during which his behavior and attitude were to be monitored.

Farhat said he has sent a notice to the PCB asking them to release him from his players’ contract. “I am a professional cricketer and get offers to play. What has happened with me shows that my future is not safe,” he said.

Gambhir Seals India

Victory Against Scotland

In Glasgow, Gautam Gambhir steered India to a seven-wicket win in their first One-Day International against Scotland yesterday with an unbeaten 85.

Chasing a revised target of 209 in 46 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis method, India finished on 212 for three as they warmed up for a seven-match One-Day International series against England, starting next week.

That Scotland made as many as they did was largely down to a stand of 82 between former England cricketer Gavin Hamilton and Neil McCallum with a handy 37 off 34 balls from Craig Wright boosting the total.

India captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to field and his side took two early wickets to get rid of Navdeep Poonia and Fraser Watts. After a rain break, McCallum struck off-spinner Ramesh Powar back over his head for six.

India’s reply got off to a slow start with 15 runs scored in the first seven overs. But Robin Uthappa, after a nervy start, made 55 off 62 balls before he was bowled by Wright. Uthappa’s exit was the cue for Gambhir to up his tempo and he completed his fifty off 76 balls. Yuvraj Singh made a brisk 38 before he was yorked by Jon Blain. That allowed Dravid to come in and hit the winning runs against the side he played for in 2003 when he turned Dewald Nel off his legs.

Kenya Beat Sri Lanka A

by Two Wickets

In Nairobi, a brilliant 62 from opener Morris Ouma coupled with a patient innings of 24 from captain Thomas Odoyo handed Kenya a thrilling two-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in their tri-series match at the Nairobi Gymkhana yesterday.

Medium pacer Peter Ongondo had earlier restricted the Sri Lankans to 194 when he took five wickets to bundle out the tourists in 48 overs. Ongondo picked up the first three wickets in his opening spell and later returned to take two more after Sri Lanka had been sent in to bat after losing the toss.

But it was the outstanding performance of Ouma which laid the base for Kenya’s victory. He put on 87 runs for the third wicket with Tanmay Mishra after the hosts lost two successive wickets in the seventh over.

Fellow opener David Obuya made only seven runs and Nehemiah Odhiambo was out for a duck with the Sri Lankan bowler Chanaka Welegedara claiming the two wickets and leaving the home side at 14 for two.

Ouma’s 50 came off 52 balls including eight fours and a six.

Odoyo took a cautious approach in hitting the winning runs and was undefeated on 24 at the close.