Babar, Shaheen, Rizwan 'unlikely' to get NOC for Canadian league

LAHORE: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan are unlikely to get a no-objection certificate (NOC) to participate in the upcoming league Global T20 Canada, sources told Geo News on Friday. 

The insiders revealed that the players will not get a NOC despite the Canadian league, which is scheduled from July 25 to August 11, not clashing with any series. 

This is because all-format players will not be issued the certificate as per the policy. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not in favour of this due to busy international schedule, said the sources. 

The development comes days after the cricket body decided not to grant fast bowler Naseem Shah the NOC to play The Hundred cricket league due to being an all-format player. 

However, the Global T20 Canada has not yet received an approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to several issues, the sources said. 

They added that the NOC of the players will be formally decided only after the league gets an approval. 

Pacer Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed also have contracts in the Global T20 Canada. 

Earlier this week, the PCB said that it would work out a technical process to issue NOC to the players and those who would fulfil the requirements would be granted the NOC.

"The players will be promoted on the basis of their fitness and performance. There's no place for players who do not fit the criteria. There'll also be no compromise on discipline," said PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.