PCB denies NOCs to Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen for Global T20

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to grant no objection certificates (NOCs) to national team captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the upcoming Global T20 tournament in Canada.

According to a statement released by the PCB, the decision came after the board considered the players’ applications and consulted with them and the selection committee.

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NOCs are issued by cricket boards to players, allowing them to participate in foreign T20 leagues alongside national team commitments.

The PCB cited the extensive upcoming schedule of the Pakistan men’s cricket team as the primary reason for withholding the NOCs. Between August 2024 and March 2025, Pakistan is scheduled to participate in the ICC World Test Championship, the ICC Champions Trophy and a series comprising nine tests, 14 one-day internationals (ODIs) and nine T20 internationals.

Given Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen’s roles across all three formats, the PCB stated their availability was critical to ensure the team’s performance.

The board said it was commuted to workload management, and stating that skipping the Global T20 event would help maintain the players’ optimal mental and physical condition ahead of their busy upcoming season, starting with a series against Bangladesh.

Previously, the PCB had also refused to issue an NOC to Naseem Shah for “The Hundred”, adhering to similar workload management.

However, the PCB has approved NOCs for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz, all primarily recognised as white-ball cricketers, with Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz also holding central contracts with the board.

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The Global T20 Canada is a Twenty20 cricket tournament held annually in Canada since its establishment in 2018. It is the only ICC-sanctioned T20 league in North America outside of the Caribbean.

The tournament was initially hosted at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club in Ontario before moving to Brampton Sports Park.

The Global T20 Canada features six teams comprising both local Canadian players and international stars. The teams compete in a format that includes round-robin matches and playoffs. Teams such as Vancouver Knights, Winnipeg Hawks, and Montreal Tigers have achieved championship titles.

Despite facing logistical challenges such as venue changes and disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Global T20 Canada has continued smoothly.