The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hardened its stance against England participating in the Champions League yesterday and has invited Pakistan to take their place. A fortnight after the ECB announced the 20-over international tournament, the BCCI yesterday banned anyone with links to Indian Cricket League (ICL) players from the £2.4 million tournament.

“The BCCI is very clear that ICL players will not be featured in the tournament,” I S Bindra, a member of the governing council of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is part of the BCCI, said. “If the ECB can’t guarantee that it will clear only teams without ICL players for the tournament, then we will look at the replacement.

“Pakistan may be the fourth [country], but first we have to get a response from the ECB on the ICL issue. Teams from England can be considered, but only those who don’t have players associated with the ICL. We will get a final picture when the issue is discussed during the ICC’s annual conference in Dubai at the end of this month,” Bindra, who is also, conveniently, the ICC’s “principal adviser”, added.

Fifteen of the 18 English counties employ ICL players, the exceptions being Middlesex, Somerset and Essex. Some, such as Glamorgan (with Jason Gillespie), have either left out or rested their ICL players.

But after the BCCI meeting in Delhi yesterday, it appears that anyone employing an ICL player, regardless of whether they would be part of a squad taken to Australia for the Champions League this September or October, will be banned.

Cricket Australia is writing the rules for the Champions League, but the BCCI is flexing its muscles. The ECB’s “policy of letting ICL players play in their leagues” meant it would be impossible to invite England, Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said. The IPL is behind the Champions League and is determined to do what it can to crush the ICL.

The finalists of the Twenty20 Cup competition were supposed to have represented England. For Northamptonshire, second in the Midlands/ West/Wales division, and with a chance of making the final, even a compromise, in which ICL players would not travel to the Champions League, would make a mockery of England’s domestic competition.

Northamptonshire have five ICL players, including Nicky Boje, their captain. Six other counties have two ICL players, mostly integral to the team.

“India will not host or participate in any event featuring players from the ICL,” Lalit Modi, the chairman of the IPL said.

But Jeremy Roberts, the ICL lawyer, said earlier this month that legal action against the ECB or ICC for restraint of trade was being considered if ICL players are banned from competing.