PCB declines Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen NOCs for Global T20 The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refused requests from Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for NOCs to participate in the Global T20 tournament scheduled in Canada this month, citing concerns over workload management and Pakistan’s busy cricket calendar from August 2024 to March 2025.
In a late Friday night announcement, the PCB stated that despite receiving NOC requests from several players, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, their involvement in the Global T20 has been declined after consultations with the players and the national selection committee.
The board emphasized that Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen are integral to Pakistan’s cricket across all formats, particularly with upcoming commitments such as nine ICC World Test Championship matches and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As per the PCB’s workload management policy, it was deemed best for the players to skip the Canadian event to ensure they remain in optimal mental and physical condition, starting with the upcoming Bangladesh Test series.
Previously, Naseem Shah was also denied permission to participate in The Hundred for similar reasons.
According to reports, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi discussed the matter with coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, who supported the decision not to release these players for the GT20.
Meanwhile, NOCs have been granted to Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz, primarily due to their focus on white-ball cricket, with Iftikhar and Nawaz being centrally contracted players.
Pakistan’s international schedule for 2024-25 is packed, featuring series against Bangladesh, England, West Indies, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand across all formats, including a triangular series with New Zealand and South Africa preceding the Champions Trophy.
However, the PCB is yet to hold formal discussions with senior players like Babar following Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the recent T20 World Cup.
