Islamabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) of Pakistani players participating in foreign T20 leagues, a day after the Asia Cup final in Dubai. The board has not cited any reason for the move.
According to ESPNcricinfo, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed issued a notice on September 29 informing players and their agents of the decision. The notice stated, “According to the PCB chief, all NOCs of players participating in leagues and other foreign tournaments have been suspended until further orders.”
The development comes after India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup final on September 28, marking India’s third consecutive win over their arch-rivals in the tournament.
The suspension will impact Pakistani cricketers lined up for franchise leagues, particularly the ILT20 auction scheduled in the UAE on October 1.
Players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan were set to feature in overseas tournaments, including Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL 15). Haris Rauf and 17 others had also been shortlisted for the ILT20 auction.
