The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly suspended all no-objection certificates to players for participating in T20 leagues outside the country. Although no particular reason has been given for the move, a notification of it came a day after Pakistan’s Asia Cup final loss to India.
The PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed is quoted as saying in the notice by ESPNCricinfo that “all No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players with respect to participation in leagues and other out of country tournaments are hereby put on hold until further orders”. It is further reported that the PCB aims to tie NOCs to a performance-based system.
There have been grumblings among former players of the current crop of Pakistan players not playing enough domestic first class cricket. Pace legend Wasim Akram had linked fast bowler Haris Rauf’s tendency to leak runs to his lack of experience in red-ball cricket. “I am not criticising him, the whole country is. He does not play red ball cricket. He refused to be in the team, at least play four or five first-class games,” Akram said while speaking on The Sony Sports Network.
The move could have far-reaching effects on some of Pakistan’s biggest stars and for the short-term plans of a number of T20I franchises across the world. Seven Pakistanis, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi, are due to play in the BBL this season, which begins in December. The possibilyt of Shadab Khan sharing a dressing room with India spin great Ravichandran Ashwin could also come to an end, with both players having been drafted to play for Sydney Thunder.
There are also 16 Pakistan players in the shortlist for the ILT20 auction, which is due to take place on October 1 in the UAE. Three of those include Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman.
The postPCB cancels player NOCs for playing in foreign T20 leagues a day after defeat to India in Asia Cup final: Report | Cricket News appeared first on Indian Express
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