Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board has denied No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to Shaheen Shah Afridi, skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the Global T20 Canada.
The board released an official statement to confirm that the decision was taken after consulting Babar, Shaheen, Rizwan, and the national selection committee.
The decision not to grant NOC to the star trio comes a week after Naseem Shah was denied the certificate to participate in the Hundred. The young pacer was signed by the Birmingham Phoenix.
The PCB stated that Pakistan’s busy international schedule was taken into consideration while making the decision.
“The PCB had received NOC requests from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi for the Global T20 event, amongst other players. 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,” PCB said in a statement.
With the trio featuring in all formats for Pakistan, they will be a key part of the team as they gear up to play nine Tests, 14 ODIs and nine T20Is in the next eight months.
The Pakistan Board took their workload management into account and stated that it was in the best interest of Pakistan cricket that Babar, Shaheen, and Rizwan missed the Canada League.
“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. 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,” the statement added.
The statement from PCB confirmed that Naseem Shah was denied an NOC on the same grounds.
“Earlier, the PCB had also declined permission to Naseem Shah for The Hundred on the same grounds,” the PCB said in the statement.
From October 2024 to May 2025, Pakistan’s action-packed schedule will begin with three Tests against England at home.
The red-ball series will be followed by a limited-overs series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
After limited-overs cricket, Pakistan will play a Test series in South Africa. They will then host the West Indies for a home Test series.
In order to prepare for the Champions Trophy next year, Pakistan will feature in a home tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand. The Men in Green will then host the ICC Champions Trophy.
While Pakistan mainstays will continue to prepare for their upcoming series, NOCs for four players were approved, including Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz.
“In the meantime, the PCB has approved NOCs for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz. The four players are predominantly white-ball cricketers, while Iftikhar and Nawaz are centrally contracted players,” the statement concluded.
