LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to deny No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to several key players for the upcoming franchise tournaments, according to a report by ESPNCricinfo. This decision follows their rejection of Naseem Shah’s NOC for The Hundred.
The report highlights that Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam will not be available for the Global T20 League Canada, which begins on July 25, citing workload management as the primary reason.
The PCB aims to ensure its top players are well-rested ahead of a busy national schedule, including the two-match Test series against Bangladesh starting on August 21.
The PCB’s current stance on the NOC does not necessarily indicate a blanket rejection of all demands, but it is expected to primarily affect players who are regular players across all formats.
This policy is expected to extend beyond the upcoming leagues due to Pakistan’s busy cricket schedule from October 2024 to May 2025. As a result, the PCB will not meet the NOC’s requirements for players in all formats during this period, coinciding with numerous T20 leagues.
Under central contracts signed last year, players can participate in two overseas franchise leagues per year, provided there are no conflicting international commitments.
