Pakistan’s star trio—Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi—are unlikely to receive a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for participating in the upcoming Global T20 Canada, sources informed Geo News.
According to the sources, the players will not be granted an NOC despite the league’s schedule not overlapping with Pakistan’s international fixtures. Pakistan is set to play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, beginning on August 21, while the Canadian league runs from July 25 to August 11.
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It was reported that the probable reason for the denial is a policy stipulating that players involved in all formats will not be issued an NOC. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hesitant to issue NOCs due to the demanding schedule ahead.
Star pacer Naseem Shah also faced an NOC denial last week for The Hundred. Sources revealed that this decision was made as a precautionary measure after reviewing his application. Naseem’s application was rejected to prevent potential injuries, as he plays all three formats for Pakistan and experienced fitness issues last year.
In addition to the star trio, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali, and Iftikhar Ahmed also hold contracts for the Global T20 Canada.
Earlier this week, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated that NOCs would be issued based on specific criteria. Players meeting these criteria will be granted an NOC. “Players will be evaluated based on their fitness and performance. Those who do not meet the criteria will not be considered. There will be no compromise on discipline,” Naqvi said.
Regarding the World Test Championship matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie hinted at the possible unavailability of Afridi for the series. Shaheen and his wife, Ansha, who married last year, are expecting their first child. As a result, he might miss the Test series next month.
“Shaheen might miss the Bangladesh Test matches due to the birth of his child. We can give him time off if he wants to be with his wife,” Gillespie said last week.
(Aside from the headline, This report is generated from the ANI news service. NewsX holds no responsibility for its content)
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