Kent's new signing Azhar Mahmood believes the Indian Cricket Leagues are here to stay and that the world of cricket should embrace them rather than attempt to ban players from appearing in them.

The 33-year-old from Rawalpindi flew in from his six-week stint with the Lahore Badshahs franchise last Wednesday to start his new deal in county cricket with Kent, an inter-continental mix of cricket he sees many players enjoying in seasons to come.

Speaking during a break in his first net sessions at St Lawrence, the former Pakistan and Surrey all-rounder said: "I had a wonderful time playing ICL. It was a great experience and I did really well for the team.

"I was a bit worried at the start, because I wasn't sure where I stood with my ECB registration for Kent, but once Graham Ford rang me up to say it had gone through I could relax more and enjoy it.

"My team reached the finals and although we lost it was a wonderful tournament. I was happy with my performances and was in the running with Abdur Razzaq for the player of the series.

"If there are no more issues with the ECB then I will be going back out to play ICL later this year because I have a three-year deal.

"I believe it's the right thing for cricket. Players already travel to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand outside the English summers to play league cricket, the ICL is just another league, so why should it be wrong?

"Players are just trying to make a living in India. Many people have more than one job, so how can it be right if someone tells them they can do one job but not the other?

"It's our bread and butter and we have to work hard for it, ICL have said they don't want to clash with county cricket, as long as that remains the case, then I see no problem in playing in it and no reason why it shouldn't be okay with the administrators."