PCB Suspends Player NOCs, Links Approvals to Performance

On Sept. 29 the Pakistan Cricket Board announced it has suspended all No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players seeking to participate in overseas T20 leagues, a decision communicated by PCB COO Sumair Ahmad Syed after Pakistan’s narrow Asia Cup 2025 final loss to India. The freeze affects top internationals — including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan — and puts planned stints in competitions such as the Big Bash League, ILT20 and other franchise tournaments at risk, with potential financial implications for players. The PCB said future NOC approvals will be linked to a new performance-based evaluation system intended to prioritise national and domestic commitments. The move appears aimed at ensuring player availability for the delayed Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and to incentivise stronger international and domestic performances. The PCB has not disclosed the evaluation criteria, exemptions or duration of the suspension, and reports say players who fail to meet the yet-to-be-defined standards may be required to work at the National Cricket Academy before being allowed overseas contracts.