Sri Lankan all-rounder Upul Chandana has retired from international cricket amid speculation he will sign up with the breakaway Indian Cricket League, reports said on Tuesday.

Chandana, 35, gave his decision to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief executive Duleep Mendis in a letter without specifying the reason for his retirement, the reports said.

Chandana, a leg-spinner and useful lower-order batsman, played 16 Tests and 147 one-dayers but failed to find a regular place in the Sri Lankan team.

Sri Lanka has said it will ban any player joining the rebel Indian league. So far no cricketer from the island nation has officially signed up, although Chandana, Marvan Atapattu and Russel Arnold have been linked to it.

Ashraf mulls bans

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again called on players joining ICL to rethink their decision or be prepared for “long-term bans”, adds PTI.

PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf said ICL rebels Inzamam-ul Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Farhat and Abdul Razzaq could be banned, if they did not change their decision. “I am advising them to refrain from playing in this controversial Indian league or they can face long bans,” Ashraf said.

Meanwhile, a Board source told PTI that some players from Pakistan have given inflated figures of offers made to them by the ICL to get more benefits from the PCB.

Farhat talks tough

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s discarded Test opener Imran Farhat on Tuesday vowed to fight a legal notice served on him by the PCB for signing up with the ICL, adds PTI.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday served the notice on Farhat, charging him with violating his central contract by joining the multi-million dollar series to be held in October. Farhat has been asked to reply within a week.

“I don’t understand this notice. On one hand the board chairman is trying to convince me to leave the ICL and assuring me of a future in Pakistan cricket and on other hand I get this notice. I will stand by what I have said,” added Farhat.