The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Indian Premier League announced some big time signings of Australians Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Bret Lee, Pakistan’s Younis Khan, Sri Lankans Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakara, South African Jacques Kallis, Chris Gayle (WI) and Daniel Vettori (NZ) for the inaugural Twenty20 championship in April next year.

Meanwhile, the IPL has assured it will not contract international cricketers for two years after their retirement, aiming to allay concerns that players would cut short their careers to link with BCCI’s lucrative Twenty20 competition, adds PTI from Melbourne.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi said players would have to get a No-Objection Certificate from their respective boards before signing with the league. The NOC would have a clause in which players agree to a two-year “cooling-off” period after their retirement from international cricket before they can join the IPL.

“This will prevent players from retiring before their home boards want them to,” he said.

“Players will have to think twice if they are considering an early retirement to join us. The keys are in the hands of the board. The IPL has no interest in jeopardising international cricket or home boards.

“There is more money to reward players, who are the key constituents in the league, but there is no interest in harming other forms of the game,” Modi, who is also a vice-president of the Indian cricket board, said.

Player Draft will take place in Mumbai before the end of January.