The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has chosen not to issue No Objection Certificates (NOC) to star cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Global T20 League in Canada.
The decision, according to a PCB spokesperson, is driven by the upcoming packed cricketing schedule and the necessity to manage the workload of these key players.
The PCB, after “careful deliberation” with the national team management and the selection committee, determined that the trio’s participation in the Global T20 League would conflict with their commitments to the national team.
“The board received NOC applications from Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen but decided against issuing them due to the players’ extensive engagements over the next eight months,” said the spokesperson.
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi are integral to Pakistan’s cricket setup across all formats. Their absence in crucial national assignments would be significantly detrimental, hence the PCB’s stance to prioritize national duties over foreign league participation.
The spokesperson further elaborated that this decision aligns with the PCB’s workload management policy, which aims to ensure that players are fit and ready for national duty.
“It is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players themselves to focus on their responsibilities towards the national team,” he said.
