The participation of Pakistani cricketers in the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10 League has become uncertain after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly demanded an additional fee of $10,000 per player for issuing No-Objection Certificates (NOCs).
According to a report by cricket website ESPNcricinfo, the PCB’s reported condition has created difficulties for franchises that had selected Pakistani players in the tournament’s draft.
The league organisers had submitted NOC applications for Pakistani players shortly after the players’ draft on September 30. However, the PCB reportedly introduced the additional fee requirement just days before the tournament, leaving franchises with limited time to make alternative arrangements.
A total of 16 Pakistani cricketers were selected by five of the six participating teams in the draft. Franchises are now reportedly considering whether to pay the additional amount or look for replacement players.
Reports also suggest that some Pakistani cricketers were willing to pay the $10,000 fee from their own salaries to secure their participation in the tournament.
Among the selected players are Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim Jr, along with other Pakistani cricketers.
The development follows a similar situation last month when the PCB reportedly set a fee of $25,000 per player for issuing NOCs for the Nepal Premier League. The condition prevented several Pakistani players from participating in that tournament.