Pakistan players remain in the dark about the No Objection Certificate (NOC) situation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This issue has been a point of contention between the two parties for quite some time.
The conflict revolves around the players’ desire to participate in as many T20 leagues as possible, while the PCB seeks to impose a limit on such commitments. This disagreement over the NOC was a major point of contention last year, leading to a standoff in which players were initially unwilling to sign central contracts.
The players finally signed the center back during the ODI World Cup in India. However, challenges remain as players continue to face obstacles in pursuing their aspirations. Recently, Mohammad Haris had to return home from Bangladesh after failing to get the mandatory NOC from the PCB for the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The right-handed batsman had already arrived in Bangladesh to prepare for the tournament. He was part of the Chattogram Challengers team. As the PCB denied him NOC, he had no option but to return home from Bangladesh. According to media reports, the Pakistani board also denied permission to Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed to play in the BPL.
PCB denies NOC to Zaman Khan:
Fast bowler Zaman Khan has become the latest Pakistani player to be denied an NOC by the PCB. The right-arm pacer was going to play in the BPL but he did not get the required permission from the PCB, according to Pakistani media reports.
“PCB canceled the NOC given to Zaman Khan for the Bangladesh Premier League. PCB earlier rejected the NOC application made by Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Haris for BPL,” Pakistani journalist Arfa Feroz Zake wrote in X.
BREAKING NEWS: PCB canceled the NOC that was issued to Zaman Khan for the Bangladesh Premier League. PCB earlier rejected the NOC application made by Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Haris for BPL. #PRINTED CIRCUIT CARD
– Arfa Feroz Zake (@ArfaSays_) January 22, 2024
The development comes on the heels of reports suggesting that the PCB’s strict stance on participation of Pakistan players in the BPL could strain its relationship with the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The PCB does not allow players to participate in more than two foreign T20 leagues in a year. As a result, it has been denying players the NOC to play in the BPL.