Veteran Mumbai leg-spinner Pravin Tambe was reportedly part of the 537-player Caribbean Premier League draft which has been virtually held on Wednesday (June 24) for the upcoming CPL 2020 to be held between August 18-September 10 behind closed doors in Trinidad and Tobago.
However, Tambe will be required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if he wants to participate in the overseas league including CPL.
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The 48-year old leg spinner is already suspended from the now postponed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for violating BCCI rules after he appeared in the T10 league in Abu Dhabi without informing the board.
Even the leg-spinner has also revealed that he is confident of being snapped up for the CPL 2020 by the Trinbago Knight Riders – a franchise co-owned by Shah Rukh Khan, who is also a co-owner of IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders that had bought his services at his base price of Rs 20 lakh for the IPL 2020.
Tambe told Sportstar on Thursday (June 25): “I had applied for the draft (which was held virtually on Wednesday) and I was informed that I have been picked by the Trinbago Knight Riders. It is a big opportunity for me and I am looking forward to it.”
However, the Trinbago Knight Riders are yet to officially announce the signing of Tambe as he is “yet to officially sign a contract” with the CPL side that may be stuck for BCCI permission but the spinner is keeping himself ready for the tournament.
He further added, “I have been training indoors. For any player, this is a big opportunity and I hope to play to my strength.”
Well, the BCCI is unlikely to give Tambe permission to play in the CPL since there is a rule that any player who wants to play in domestic T20 leagues in other countries will have to first get NOC, which is provided only after he announces retirement from Indian domestic cricket, including the IPL – that is something Yuvraj Singh did to play in the Global T20 League.
A BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity, “Tambe has to retire in order to play foreign leagues. In any case, the IPL governing council will have to decide on his fate as he has already flouted BCCI rules when he played the T10 league in Abu Dhabi. He is an active domestic player.”
Noteworthy, Tambe became the oldest player to be sold at the auctions last year when two-time champions KKR bought his services for the IPL 2020.
He has so far played 33 IPL matches in four seasons between 2013 and 2016, featuring for the three different franchises – Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Lions, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament.
(With Sportstar/PTI Inputs)
