KARACHI: Pakistan’s centrally contracted players would be able to play in a maximum of four Twenty20 leagues, including the Pakistan Super League, after the Pakistan Cricket Board announced its new policy for issuing No Objection Certificates to them.
Initial feedback and assessment of NOC requests will come through the PCB’s International Cricket Operations department and national head coach/team management, who will carry out due diligence with respect to player workload and international commitments. As per NOC policies around the world, the chief executive of the PCB will then be the final approving authority at the final stage of the process.
PCB CEO Wasim Khan said the new NOC policy was flexible, balanced and comprehensive which addresses many of the likely scenarios the board will face.
“We have given primacy and importance to player workload, international and domestic commitments, but at the same time it was important that players are given the opportunities to make additional earnings and develop their skills around the world,” Khan said.
The PCB also said that domestic players contracted by their cricket associations will be required to directly approach their respective associations for any NOC approvals in the first instance.
“Input and feedback will then be sought from the cricket operations department, before moving to the last stage of approval process,” the board said.
The board has also made it mandatory for those domestic players who don’t mature in red-ball cricket but are white-ball regulars, to commit themselves to domestic 50-over and 20-over competitions in order to be eligible for NOCs.
As per the ICC regulations, both inactive and retired cricketers will require NOCs from the PCB for ICC approved events. However, the PCB will issue NOCs to players who have been retired for 24 months or more, unless there are compelling reasons which the PCB will have to provide in writing.
