NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India’s rebel Twenty20 league  faced a bleak future yesterday with many players seeking to  be released from their contracts to return to official cricket.

The Indian Cricket League (ICL), launched in 2007 by  promoters of the nation’s largest listed media group Zee  Entertainment Network, was staunchly opposed by the Indian board  which persuaded other countries to bar players who signed up.

It attracted players from New Zealand, Pakistan and  Bangladesh, but was in trouble after the International Cricket  Council (ICC) refused recognition and some national boards led  by India offered to lift the bans if players quit the league.

The launch of the official Indian Premier League (IPL) last  year had already overshadowed the rebel version.
“A few domestic and overseas players and support staff have  approached us with applications to be released from ICL to  pursue cricket with the state associations,” the ICL executive  board said in a statement yesterday.

“ICL has been set up for the development of cricket … if  certain players do wish to go back to the Board of Control for  Cricket in India (BCCI) fold we will not stop them nor would we  ever wish to exercise contractual authority to stall their  dreams.
“(The) ICL will continue to bring up and nurture younger  talents for the future,” it said.

Former Bangladesh skipper Habibul Bashar was among those who  quit the ICL and Indian media reported that New Zealand fast  bowler Shane Bond also wants to leave.

Former India captain Kapil Dev, who heads the ICL executive  board, said questions should be directed to Zee officials.
“I’m with the ICL,” he told Reuters. “I will talk to the  media in a few days.”

But former India all-rounder and coach Madan Lal said he had  quit as an ICL coach and felt the league could collapse.
Lal said the ICL suffered due to a lack of matches and  official approval.

“If you don’t play for six months, it is not good,” he said.  “And if you can’t play any other form of (official) cricket, how  long can you just keep doing physical fitness?”
Organisers in the U.S. said last month that players from the  ICL and leading former test players were expected to take part  in an unofficial Twenty20 tournament in New York in October.