NEW DELHI: The
Pakistan Cricket Board
(PCB) has denied No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to senior players
Babar Azam
,
Mohammad Rizwan
, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for participation in the
Global T20 League
due to the packed international cricket calendar from August 2024 to March 2025. The PCB emphasized the need to manage the players' workload given their key roles in upcoming matches.
"The PCB had received NOC requests from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and
Shaheen Afridi
for the Global T20 event, among other players," the PCB stated.
"After taking into consideration Pakistan's busy and packed cricket calendar in the period from August 2024 to March 2025, which includes nine
ICC World Test Championship
matches and next year's
ICC Champions Trophy 2025
, and following consultations with the three players as well as the national selection committee, it has been decided to decline their requests," it added.
The Canadian league is scheduled from July 25 to August 11. As per PTI report, the PCB highlighted the importance of workload management for the three all-format players, who are slated to play a significant number of matches in the upcoming months.
"The three are all-format cricketers and their services are expected to be required in the upcoming eight months during which
Pakistan
will play nine Tests, 14 ODIs, and nine T20Is," the statement read. "As such, and in line with the PCB's workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming event in Canada so that they are in their best mental and physical shape for the season, which commences with the two-Test series against Bangladesh."
Additionally, the PCB has also declined permission for Naseem Shah to participate in The Hundred, citing similar reasons.
However, the board has approved NOCs for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz to participate in various leagues, taking into account their roles and the team's overall workload management strategy.
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