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New Delhi, July 20 (HS). Pakistan Cricket Board has rejected the request of Pakistan's star cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi for No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in Global T20 Canada as they have too many international programs. Earlier, Naseem Shah was also not given NOC to participate in The Hundred for the same reason.
The PCB said in a statement, “The PCB had received NOC requests from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi, among other players, for the Global T20 event. Taking into account Pakistan’s busy cricket calendar in the period from August 2024 to March 2025, which includes nine ICC World Test Championship matches and next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025, after consultation with the three players as well as the National Selection Committee, it has been decided to decline their requests.”
The statement said, “All three are all-format cricketers and their services are expected to be required over the upcoming eight months, during which Pakistan will play nine Tests, 14 ODIs and nine T20Is. Thus, and in line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interests of Pakistan cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming schedule in Canada, so that they are in their best mental and physical condition for the season, which begins with the two-Test series against Bangladesh.”
The Global T20 Canada will run from July 25 to August 11. Pakistan's next international assignment is a tour of Bangladesh, where they will play two Test matches from August 21 to September 3. England will tour Pakistan to play three Test matches in October, after which Pakistan will tour Australia to play three ODIs and as many T20Is from November 4 to 18.
Pakistan will then tour Zimbabwe for a limited-overs tour in November-December, followed by an all-format tour of South Africa from December 10 to January 7, comprising three T20Is, three ODIs and two Test matches.
The West Indies will tour Pakistan for two Tests in January, an ODI tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand will be held in Pakistan in February, followed by the ninth edition of the Champions Trophy. Pakistan's season will end with a limited-overs tour of New Zealand from March 16 to April 5, comprising five T20s and three ODIs.
Meanwhile, NOCs have been granted to Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Nawaz. “The PCB has approved the NOCs for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Nawaz. All the four players are primarily white-ball cricketers, while Iftikhar and Nawaz are centrally contracted players,” the PCB said.