• Sportzyverse
• Cricket news
• 07/04/2024
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After a miserable performance in the T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board has denied some of Pakistan’s top players, including captain Babar Azam, No Objection Certificates (NOCs). The team returned home following their disappointing World Cup outing, and while some players have already left for franchise leagues, others face restrictions.

Shadab Khan is currently playing in the Lanka Premier League, and a few other players have been granted NOCs to participate in various leagues. However, reports from Pakistan indicate that star players Babar Azam, pacer Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan have not received approval to play in the upcoming GT20 League in Canada. On the other hand, Mohammad Amir was granted an NOC for county cricket but not for the GT20.

Why has PCB denied Babar, Shaheen, and Rizwan NOCs for the GT20 league?

The PCB’s hesitation comes from concerns about the GT20 League’s status. They have sought more information from the tournament organisers and the International Cricket Council (ICC) before making a final decision. A PCB official told PTI, “The PCB is not comfortable with the status of the Global League and has sought some information from the organisers and ICC, which is why the issuance of NOCs has been delayed.”

The league which signed Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan hasn’t been sanctioned by ICC yet. Global T20 League Canada is still waiting for ICC’s approval 🇵🇰😭😭

Both players have not been given NOC by the PCB yet because of the league’s status. Why don’t they play in Big Bash? 💔 pic.twitter.com/vIk5K0dTsd

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 3, 2024

The delay in granting NOCs has raised questions about the participation of Pakistani players in the GT20 League, which starts on July 25 and runs until August 11. This situation is particularly significant given Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, set to commence on August 19. The potential impact of the GT20 League on the players’ performance in the Test series is a major concern.

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The recent T20 World Cup highlighted Pakistan’s struggles. Moreover, their performance in the World Test Championship has also been underwhelming. In the inaugural cycle of WTC from 2019-21, Pakistan finished 5th, and they further slipped to 7th in the 2021-23 cycle. Currently, Babar Azam and his team are 5th in the ongoing cycle. However, a strong performance against Bangladesh could be a turning point and provide a significant boost.