LAHORE (Kashmir English): The path is clear for Pakistani cricketers to participate in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, following an agreement between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the league organizers on issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs).
According to media reports, the league organizers will pay the PCB up to $200,000 in compensation, along with other facilities, in exchange for the NOCs.
The franchises and the national players had requested the PCB to issue these NOCs to enable their participation in the league.
Reports state that the PCB reviewed the matter sympathetically following the request from the franchises and players, leading to an agreement between the involved parties.
Approximately 15 Pakistani cricketers, including Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, and Faheem Ashraf, have signed contracts with various franchises in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
With the matter now resolved, the prospects for these players to receive their NOCs have become highly favorable.
Mohammad Amir ‘registers’ as UK national for APL draft
Earlier, former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has registered as a UK national for the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) draft scheduled to take place in Dubai today (Tuesday), according to media reports.
Amir has acquired British citizenship and currently resides in England. However, he has been listed as a UK national in the draft register, with Pakistan mentioned as his country of residence. He has been placed in the Platinum category.
Amir has represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 62 T20 Internationals.
His last appearance for the Pakistan national side came against Ireland during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Lauderhill, Florida, in June 2024.
Registering as a UK national could also give Amir an advantage regarding his availability for the APL, as he may not require a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), unlike his former Pakistan teammates.
More than 30 Pakistani cricketers, including Fakhar Zaman, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim, have registered for the APL draft.
However, the participation of Pakistani players remains uncertain amid diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Media reports suggest that the cricket board is unlikely to issue NOCs to its players for the tournament.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s (ACB) draft register has also clarified that the participation of Pakistani players is subject to obtaining NOCs from the PCB.
