After Naseem Shah, PCB Likely to deny NOC to Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Rizwan – Startup Pakistan

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to limit No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for some of their key players for upcoming franchise tournaments. This decision comes after the recent denial of an NOC to Naseem Shah for The Hundred tournament.

Top players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam are expected to miss the Global T20 League Canada, which starts on July 25. The reason for this is to manage their workloads and ensure they are well-rested for a busy national schedule, including a Test series against Bangladesh that begins on August 21.

The PCB’s current NOC policy does not completely ban all requests but is expected to affect players who are regularly involved in all formats of cricket. The board wants to make sure these players are in top form for the national team’s commitments.

This strategy is likely to be maintained even after the upcoming leagues because Pakistan’s cricket schedule from October 2024 to May 2025 is very packed. During this period, there are several overlapping T20 tournaments.

According to the central contracts signed last year, players are allowed to participate in up to two overseas franchise leagues annually, as long as there are no conflicting international commitments.

The PCB is taking these measures to balance the players’ participation in franchise leagues with their national duties. The goal is to avoid burnout and keep them fresh and fit for representing Pakistan in international matches.

This careful management of players’ schedules reflects the PCB’s commitment to prioritizing the national team’s performance over franchise tournaments.