Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to deny no-objection certificates (NOCs) to Pakistani players for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL), with the reason being the compact domestic and international schedules they already have.
Additionally, no confirmation has been provided on whether they will be allowed to play in the newly-introduced ILT20 in the UAE or CSA’s T20 league. None of the Pakistani players have entered the BBL draft as of yet.
Back before Ramiz Raja took over as the chairman, a policy was in place where the Pakistani players would be allowed to play in a league in addition to the PSL. It is unsure whether the same policy stands.
The denial of NOC is likely to make a huge dent in the Pakistani players’ pockets, who cannot play in the IPL. They were set to be compensated with franchises in the PSL offering bumper contracts but the matter has taken a backseat for now.
PCB’s updated central contracts also add to the uncertainty
Recently, the board confirmed that it was offering 33 contracts split between white and red-ball players for the 2022-23 season. The players requested copies of these contracts in order to sift through them while taking legal advice.
Although this is common in other countries, it is the first such case in Pakistan. Adding to that is the awareness among the new batch of players, who recognize their brand value and want to push for better deals abroad.
The UAE’s and CSA’s leagues will offer a good amount of money to the domestic players from Pakistan and they will be keen to push the PCB’s stance on their refusal to submit the NOCs.
