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Pakistani cricket stars Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan might miss out on the upcoming Global T20 League Canada (GT20) despite the tournament not conflicting with national team commitments. The PCB, Pakistan's cricket governing body, is likely to withhold their No Objection Certificates (NOCs) due to a policy restricting all-format players from participating in certain leagues. Geo News reports that the PCB's primary concern is player workload. The tournament runs from July 25th to August 11th, with Pakistan's next series, a two-Test match against Bangladesh, starting on August 21st. This decision follows a similar one recently, where the PCB denied fast bowler Naseem Shah an NOC to participate in England's The Hundred tournament.
Naseem Shah's denied NOC isn't just about workload management. The PCB is also likely waiting for the Global T20 League Canada to receive official approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC) before issuing NOCs to any players. Since Shah is a key player across all formats for Pakistan, the board might be prioritizing his fitness for the upcoming international schedule, but the league's accreditation also plays a role in the decision.
While stars like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are likely to be denied NOCs due to the all-format player policy, other Pakistani players are still in the running. Fast bowler Mohammad Amir, all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed, and batsman Asif Ali all have contracts with the GT20 League Canada. The PCB chairman has previously stated that NOC issuance will be based on a player's fitness, recent performance, and adherence to disciplinary standards. This suggests these players might be granted permission to participate if they meet the PCB's criteria.
"The players will be promoted on the basis of their fitness and performance. There's no place for players who do not fit the criteria. There'll also be no compromise on discipline," said PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
Pakistan will face England in a three-match Test series starting October 7th. Currently ranked fifth in the World Test Championship standings with two wins from five matches, Pakistan will be looking to improve their position (36.66 per cent). Following the England series, Pakistan will host the West Indies for a two-match Test series at home. Then, they'll travel to South Africa for another two-match Test series away.
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