LAHORE (Kashmir English): In a shocking turn of events that can have a major bearing on Pakistani cricketers, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has apparently issued a statement suspending all No Objection Certificates (NOCs) earlier issued to national players to play in foreign cricket tournaments.
Pakistan’s leading sportswriter, Faizan Lakhani, was the first to report the news that PCB has cancelled the NOCs of players, which will be effective immediately, barring centrally contracted and domestic players from playing in overseas tournaments until further notice.
The PCB has made no statement about the reason why the NOCs of players were cancelled, but rumour is building up that it is an impulsive response to the team’s showing in the 2025 Asia Cup.
At a time when many Pakistani cricketers were set to join or had joined global franchise leagues, the move was made. Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf will all be participating in the Big Bash League (BBL 15) later this year, while other players are bound to get offers from ILT20 franchises as well.
The release, however, does not include those players who have already played in tournaments like the Caribbean Premier League, the Top End T20 Series, and The Hundred, whose runs have already been completed. By revoking the NOCs, the PCB is likely making a point that it is putting Pakistan’s local commitments and future international engagements first once again.
The decision is likely to cause controversy within cricketing circles, especially among cricketers already beholden to limited time for franchise cricket.
For the time being, though, the message from the PCB is plain: Pakistan cricket first, and everything else waits.
