LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided against issuing the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi to participate in the Global T20 (GT20) Canada 2024.
According to the cricketing body, the three all-format players were denied NOCs, in light of Pakistan’s busy and packed cricket calendar in the period from August 2024 to March 2025 which includes ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
“The PCB had received NOC requests from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi for the Global T20 event, amongst other players. After taking into consideration Pakistan’s busy and packed 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, and following consultations with the three players as well as the national selection committee, it has been decided to decline their requests,” stated PCB.
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“The three are all-format cricketers and their services are expected to be required in the upcoming eight months during which Pakistan will play nine Tests, 14 ODIs, and nine T20Is.
“As such, and in line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming event in Canada so that they are in their best mental and physical shape for the season, which commences with the two-Test series against Bangladesh.”
Earlier, the PCB had also declined permission to Naseem Shah for The Hundred on the same grounds.
However, the PCB has approved NOCs for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz as the four players are predominantly white-ball cricketers, while Iftikhar and Nawaz are centrally contracted players.
READ: GT20 Canada awaits approval from ICC for upcoming edition