The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to withhold No Objection Certificates for national team members until January 12, leaving franchises in leagues such as the BPL unsure about the availability of Pakistani players.
Players including Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Usman Khan have already been drafted into BPL squads. They will face uncertainty as they are likely to be selected for the T20 series against Sri Lanka from January 7 to 11, citing World Cup preparation.
Players like Abrar (Chattogram Royals), Saim (Sylhet Titans), Farhan and Nawaz (Rajshahi Warriors), Usman (Dhaka Capitals), and Faheem (Rangpur Riders) may not be available for the full BPL season until after the series.
A PCB source told Cricfrenzy, “National team players will not be released during the series as it’s part of World Cup prep. After the series, players can join leagues once NOCs are issued.”
Other Pakistani players not in the national squad, such as Ihsanullah, Khawaja Nafay, Haider Ali, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Amir, Hussain Talat, and Imad Wasim, face no NOC issues and can participate freely.
PCB is expected to clarify the situation officially in the coming days.
Franchises may face challenges if key national team players cannot play the full BPL season.
