The PCB is on a collision course with some of Pakistan cricket’s biggest personalities after refusing to permit Naseem Shah to play in the Hundred. PCB is likely to reject NOCs for several all-format players in upcoming franchise tournaments. In contrast, the Global T20 League in Canada has yet to be officially sanctioned by the ICC.
The PCB cannot issue NOCs to centrally contracted players, it is believed Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam will be barred from playing there regardless, with workload management most likely cited as the reason. The immediate consequences of the decision are that The Hundred’s Birmingham Phoenix will miss out on Naseem next month. While Afridi, Rizwan, and Babar will be unavailable for the Global T20 League Canada.
Pakistani Players in Overseas Leagues
Neither competition directly coincides with any international cricket Pakistan plays. But with a busy upcoming schedule for the national team, it is understood the PCB wants their all-format players to recuperate ahead of Pakistan’s two-match Test series against Bangladesh. It will begin on August 21.
Though the GLT20 has yet to receive formal ICC approval, the Pakistan players picked were fully anticipated to compete in the league; Afridi is due to go to Canada soon, with the event officially beginning on July 25th.
Meanwhile, Naseem was due to receive £125,000 for his participation in The Hundred, which begins on July 23. This does not necessarily imply that no NOC requests will be entertained, as the most recent NOC repressions are likely to affect primarily those who are all-format regulars.
Usama Mir’s Issues Regarding NOC
Usama Mir, whose NOC for the T20 Blast was denied last month, and Haris Rauf will both be able to play The Hundred. The NOC rejections are expected to extend beyond the leagues over the next month.
Pakistan has a nearly non-stop cricket schedule from October to May of the following year. That month, they face England in three Tests at home, followed by limited-overs series in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, as well as a Test series in South Africa.
A home Test series against the West Indies, a home tri-series with South Africa and New Zealand, a home Champions Trophy, and the PSL. It is understood that the PCB will not accept any NOC requests for all-format players during that time, which overlaps with many T20 competitions.
PCB’s Right to Refuse NOCs
The three-year core contracts negotiated by the PCB and the players last year allowed for two overseas franchise leagues every year, as long as they did not interfere with the players’ international commitments. The contracts state that the PCB has the right to refuse NOCs if it believes it is in the best interests of Pakistan‘s international obligations.
The decision to withdraw players from leagues that do not directly conflict with international cricket is likely to cause dissatisfaction among affected players, as well as questions about whether the allowance made in central contracts is being honored in spirit.
After Pakistan’s catastrophic T20 World Cup campaign, in which they were eliminated in the first round, there has been an uneasy stillness over the last month. Initial rumors indicated that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi intended to perform “major surgery” on the side, but no immediate consequences followed the exit.
However, there are hints that events are picking up speed, with Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq being removed from the PCB selection committee.
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