PCB To Go Strict On Contracted Players After Pakistan’s Early Elimination From T20 World Cup 2024

Karachi: Following Pakistan group stage exit from the T20 World Cup 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will enforce a two-NOCs policy for all contracted players in foreign T20 leagues. The development means that the players will be given No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to play in maximum two overseas franchise T20 leagues besides playing in the Pakistan Super League.

Pakistan were eliminated on Friday with a game left to be played when USA’s Group A game against Ireland was washed out in Florida. USA ended group league campaign with five points from four games and Pakistan even if they win their last match against Ireland can maximum reach four points.

Pakistan went down to India in New York on Sunday in a close game, failing to chase a target of 120. Before that, in their opening game in Dallas, they suffered a shock Super Over loss to USA. Currently, Azam Khan and Saim Ayub, who are a part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad, are yet to get their NOCs for the Caribbean Premier League.

Both Azam and Ayub were retained by their respective CPL franchises. “The other players have also been given a clear message that the two NOC’s rule applies to both centrally and domestic contracted players and the board also reserves the right to turn down any NOC request from any player,” an official source in the board said.

The board also holds the right to refuse any NOC if it feels the player’s workload and fitness is at stake and he is required to play at home. The source said that recently in the case of Pakistan leg-spinner Usama Mir, who signed a contract for the Vitality Blast and The Hundred in England, was told he has already played his quota of two leagues this year.

“Mir took the argument that since he was free of any international commitments and there was no domestic event he should be allowed to play in England, he was told in clear terms this is not for him but for the board to decide,” the source said. The board has also recently made it clear to all other cricket boards and their franchises organising their T20 leagues that until a player (s) is able to produce a PCB-issued NOC, they would be signing him at their own risk.