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Babar Azam from Pakistan - (Source : AFP)
Pakistan cricket is at an all-time low as the Men in Green suffered massive humiliation after losing to India thrice in just two weeks. Further, the Asia Cup final defeat forced the PCB to take strict action against the players.
PCB suspends NOCs after Asia Cup failure
In the first step, the Pakistan cricket board suspended NOCs issued to the players featuring in overseas leagues. The move impacted players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who were punished despite no role in the recent defeats.
“With the approval of Chairman PCB, all No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players with respect to participation in leagues and other out-of-country tournaments are hereby put on hold until further orders,” stated Sumair Ahmad Syed, Chief Operating Officer of the PCB, in the formal notice.
Notably, Babar Azam was set for his BBL debut after signing a lucrative deal with the Sydney Sixers. However, the move was put on hold after PCB's recent directives.
CA CEO drops massive hint on PAK players' participation
Although in the latest events, the fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Cricket Australia dropped a hint that the players might still feature in the BBL despite the NOC suspension. Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg is hopeful that the Pakistani stars will still participate in the BBL this summer.
“We’ve been in contact with our colleagues at the PCB over the last few days, we’re hopeful we can find a resolution. We’re really looking forward to welcoming their players to the Big Bash, we think they’ll add great value … it will be a fascinating summer across the BBL, yeah,” Todd Greenberg was quoted as saying by News Wire and quoted by Cricexe.
Notably, the upcoming edition of Big Bash League is set to commence from December 14 and will overlap with ILT20 and Lanka Premier League 2025. Thus, absence of Pakistani cricketers in upcoming edition will be a big financial loss to the BBL.
