The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has declined requests from senior players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) to participate in Canada’s Global T20 League.
After Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, the PCB announced that players involved in all three formats for the national team would be restricted from playing in foreign T20 leagues to manage workload.
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Initially, Naseem Shah’s NOC request to play in England’s The Hundred competition was also rejected. Senior players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi were hopeful that their NOCs would be approved for the Global T20 League, scheduled to start on July 25.
Why were the NOCs rejected for Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan?
The PCB explained that the rejection of the NOCs for the three senior players was based on the need to manage their workload ahead of a busy international schedule in the coming months.
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“The PCB received NOC requests from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi for the Global T20 event, among others. Considering Pakistan’s packed cricket calendar from August 2024 to March 2025, which includes nine ICC World Test Championship matches and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and after consultations with the players and the selection committee, it was decided to decline their requests,” the PCB stated.
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The PCB emphasized that the three players, who are crucial members of the national team, needed rest as they have a busy schedule ahead.
“As all-format cricketers, their services will be required in the next eight months, during which Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Tests, 14 ODIs, and nine T20Is,”
“In line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players to skip the upcoming event in Canada to ensure they are mentally and physically prepared for the season, starting with the Test series against Bangladesh,” the statement mentioned.
The PCB’s workload management policy applies only to all-format players participating in Test, T20, and ODI formats.
Following the policy, NOCs were granted to Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz to play in the Global T20 League, while Usman Qadir received approval to participate in The Hundred competition starting on July 23.