MUMBAI, (Reuters):

THE INAUGURAL tournament of a rebel Indian Twenty20 league will clash with India's home Test series against Pakistan.

"The tournament will have 20 matches from November 30 to December 16," a statement from the organisers said yesterday.

The competition, which was delayed by a month due to logistical problems, will be played in Chandigarh.

Big-name players

The lucrative Indian Cricket League (ICL), which has attracted a number of big-name players, has come under pressure after India's national board (BCCI) refused to give the ICL its approval.

The BCCI is launching its own multi-million dollar version from next year with the support of other major boards, including those of Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The ICL was launched in April by India's Essel Group, which owns the country's biggest listed media firm Zee Telefilms Ltd.

Retired West Indies skipper Brian Lara, Pakistan's Imran Farhat and Abdul Razzaq have agreed to play in the ICL, as have South Africans Lance Klusener and Nicky Boje.

A number of Indian domestic players have also joined the league despite BCCI threats to ban them.