Pakistan's tearaway fast bowler Haris Rauf has been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24. Last month, there were reports that Rauf may face repercussions for skipping the Test tour of Australia. Pakistan’s new director of cricket Mohammad Hafeez and selector Wahab Riaz had expressed their disappointment over Rauf’s last-minute call. However, the PCB did not punish Rauf for the decision. Along with Rauf, leg-spinner Usama Mir and pacer Zaman Khan have been issued NOCs as well.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board has issued no-objection certificates (NOC) to fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and leg-spinner Usama Mir for the Big Bash League 2023-24. The board has issued the NOCs considering the workload of players and the future tours programme of the national men's team," PCB said in a statement on December 4.
"The PCB understands that this decision is in the best interests of all the stakeholders involved while balancing the importance of game time with workload management," it further added.
However, the three Pakistan players will not be available for their respective BBL franchises for the entire season.
"Haris and Usama have been granted NOCs for a total of five matches whereas Zaman has been granted NOC for four matches. All these games are set to take place from 7 to 28 December," the press release further read.
Earlier, Riaz had openly revealed what he expected from Rauf in red-ball cricket on Australian soil and pointed out that he is centrally contracted.
"We spoke to the captain and coach, and they wanted to utilize Haris Rauf as an impact player in Test cricket. We weren't demanding more than 10-12 overs a day from him, which he has done in ODIs," the left-arm pacer had said in the press conference.
"Our frontline Test bowling options that bowl 140+ and can create an impact are unfit, all 3 of them. As a player when you're centrally contracted, I think you need to sacrifice in such a situation and look to play for Pakistan rather than moving back," he had explained.
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