Rebel world cricket series starts

The rebel tournament is not recognised by the International Cricket Council

A rebel Twenty20 cricket league involving India, Pakistan and a Rest of the World XI is due to get under way in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

They will play each other twice in the Indian Cricket League World Series before the final on 15 April between the top two teams.

Stars including Brian Lara, Lance Klusener and Inzamam-ul-Haq will play.

But the league has not been recognised by the International Cricket Council.

And the Indian cricket board has also refused to sanction the league and has banned Indian players involved in it from taking part in official first-class games.

All of the players taking part in it can no longer play for their international sides.

The rebel league, led by former India captain Kapil Dev, was set up in November 2007 with six city teams taking on each other in the inaugural tournament.

The World Series version is an additional competition.

New Zealander Chris Cairns, captain of the rest of the world side, told the BBC the league was threatening to take legal action if it was not given official status.

"The travesty of the whole thing is that the spectators are being denied the opportunity to see the best players play globally," he said.

The Indian board's own Twenty20 Indian Premier League - involving top stars from around the world - is set to start on 18 April.