PCB Grants NOC to Cricketers for ILT20, BPL

• PCB grants NOCs for ILT20/BPL, managing player workload.
• Some pacers excluded for PSL/T20 World Cup focus.
• PCB considers T10 matches, emphasizing cricket growth.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) to national men's players, allowing them to participate in the upcoming franchise-based leagues - the International League T20 (ILT20) and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The decision, in accordance with the players' central contracts, aims to strike a balance between game time and workload management.

Star players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, and Iftikhar Ahmed are among those granted NOCs to showcase their talents in various teams participating in the BPL. Additionally, notable names like Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Mohammad Amir, and Imad Wasim will feature in ILT20 for teams such as Desert Vipers and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

However, pacers Ihsanullah, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Hasnain were notably excluded from receiving NOCs, a decision presumably made with an eye on the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the T20 World Cup.

Despite the ongoing commitments, players involved in T20Is in New Zealand are set to join their respective teams after the series concludes on January 21, 2024.

In a surprising turn of events, sources suggest that the PCB is contemplating organizing T10 matches in late January. The board's ambitious plan aims to include all national players in these T10 games, even those contracted to participate in BPL and ILT20. This decision comes after the PCB encountered challenges in obtaining government approval for a dedicated T10 league.

While the PCB had previously announced a deal with the Middlesex County Cricket Club, signaling its determination to establish the T10 matches, uncertainties loom over whether these matches will indeed take place.

Zaka Ashraf, head of the PCB Management Committee, has expressed a longstanding fascination with T10 cricket. His recent statement hinted at the ambition to establish the league during his tenure, emphasizing his eagerness to make a lasting impact on Pakistani cricket through a successful T10 venture.

As cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the unfolding of these events, the PCB's strategic decisions underscore its commitment to fostering the growth and prominence of Pakistani cricket on both domestic and international fronts.

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