PCB heading towards tussle with star players after denying Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah’s NOC

The apex cricket governing body of Pakistan aka PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) is gravitating towards having a tussle with its star players after it refused to grant a NOC (No Objection Certificate) to star pacer, Naseem Shah, for the coveted The Hundred league.

As a result, it is now expected that several other players are under the radar as PCB will most likely reject them to play in various renowned franchise leagues. Furthermore, players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan will be asked to pull out citing workload management from the upcoming edition of the Global T20 League which will be played in Canada. Notably, the league is yet to be recognised by the ICC (International Cricket Council).

The move will essentially impact the Birmingham Phoenix franchise of The Hundred, who will now have to bear the brunt of looking forward to their campaign without Naseem Shah. This would also mean that star pacer would lose out on a hefty paycheck of £125,000. Amid cancelling NOCs, some players like Haris Rauf and Usama Mir may be allowed to play in The Hundred as they are the players who do not represent Pakistan in all the formats.

Also Read- Reports: India still reluctant on travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy

Besides, Pakistan have a packed schedule ahead as per their international cricket calendar which will start through a Test series against Bangladesh in August. After that, they will clash against England Tests in October in their den followed by white-ball series against Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Apart from these fixtures, they will also extend their red-ball cricket by playing against South Africa away from home while grappling with West Indies at home. Moreover, they are to host the coveted ICC mega event, the Champions Trophy in 2025 as well.

Also Read- Wahab Riaz, Abdul Razzaq sacked after Pakistan’s dismal T20 World Cup show

As per ESPN Cricinfo, PCB had offered three-year central contracts to its star players who play in all formats on two conditions. Firstly they will be allowed to play in two franchise leagues abroad and secondly, these leagues should not clash with the international duties of these players. Moreover, even if there are no clashes if the PCB feels that any situation is hindering international commitments, they will have an upper hand to deny NOCs to players at any point. Consequently, this may create a rift between the board and its players if there is no such hindrance is evident and yet the board remains in a denial mode for NOCs.

PCB sacked Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from selection committee

It is vital to point out that these recent moves by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi have been conducted after Pakistan had a dismal showing in the recently concluded T20 World Cup as part of a major revamp. Just recently, Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq were sacked by the PCB from the board’s selection committee.