The Hundred 2024: PCB denies NOC to Naseem Shah

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to grant fast bowler Naseem Shah the No Objection Certificate to play The Hundred cricket league, under the workload management, sources told Geo News.

This will deprive Naseem of around Rs 45 million as he was signed by Birmingham Phoenix team for £125,000.

As per the sources, the decision has been taken as a preventive measure ahead of the crucial matches of the World Test Championship, after reviewing the application submitted by the Pakistani cricketer for the NOC.

They said his application has been dismissed to protect him from injuries, since he plays in all three formats of the cricket for the national side and he faced some fitness challenges last year.

Naseem underwent a successful surgery to treat his shoulder injury in October 2023. Following which, he had been ruled out of the ICC World Cup 2023.

After that, doctors had advised the young pacer to rest and undergo rehabilitation for a period of four to six weeks before making his return to the ground. This injury forced him out of action for at least three to four months.

In the 46th over, during Pakistan's second game against India at the Asia Cup 2023 in September 2023, the pacer walked off the field after suffering an injury on the reserve day organised for that game. Soon after, the PCB issued a press release stating that the right-armer has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament.

He had suffered an injury to a muscle just below his bowling shoulder.