New Delhi, India

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken a tough call to deny NOCs to top stars, including Naseem Shah, from participating in the upcoming edition of The Hundred in the UK. Per the latest reports, the PCB might also reject NOCs to white-ball captain Babar Azam, keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and star seamer Shaheen Afridi from playing in the Global T20 League in Canada – the one not been sanctioned by the ICC yet.

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To prioritise the heavy home and away calendar this season, ensuring the top, contracted players remain fit for it, the board has denied permission to them to go and play in overseas franchise-based leagues. 

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Considering there is no mention of PCB not allowing the permitted players to play abroad outside of the international calendar in their contracts, this decision might ruffle a few features and further deteriorate relations between the players and the board.

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Ramifications to follow

The immediate implications of this decision mean Naseen will not represent Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred this season, where he was set to earn £125,000 (1,58,768.62 USD). Besides, the three top cricketers, Shaheen, Babar and Rizwan, drafted to partake in GLT20, will not travel to Canada for the league. 

However, this call doesn’t indicate that NOCs will not be entertained in another case. Although it will impact the centrally-contracted players only, Usama Mir, who was earlier denied a NOC for the T20 Blast, will be allowed to play The Hundred, and so will the seamer Haris Rauf. 

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The latest reports also tell that this NOC saga will stretch beyond a couple of leagues this and next month, considering Pakistan’s heaviest (home) calendar in a century. 

The Men in Green will begin the home season with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting August 21 in Rawalpindi, before hosting England for three Tests. Pakistan will then travel overseas for the remainder of the year, touring Australia and Zimbabwe for the white-ball series before going to South Africa for an all-format tour. 

Upon returning, Pakistan will host West Indies for two Tests and South Africa and New Zealand for a tri-series just ahead of the home Champions Trophy in February-March. 

Following the eight-team tournament, the PSL will get underway, keeping all centrally contracted players busy till May next year. 

It is understood that PCB will not accept any NOC requests during this packed window. 

(With inputs from agencies)