The uncertainty surrounding the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) No Objection Certificate (NOC) policy has significantly reduced the demand for Pakistani players in international T20 leagues.
The unclear guidelines for NOCs, which national players need to participate in foreign T20 leagues, have confused, leaving many cricketers sidelined from major tournaments.
This issue became evident during the draft for Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL). Initially, BBL franchises expressed interest in signing Pakistani cricketers, seeking confirmation of their availability.
However, due to the vagueness surrounding the NOCs, Pakistani players could not provide definite answers, leading BBL teams to withdraw their interest.
As a result, only Usama Mir was picked in the draft, while notable players like Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan, and Fakhar Zaman, along with 69 others, went unsold. Rauf, who was approached by two BBL teams, lost out due to concerns over his availability.
Despite having already played in two leagues, he was exploring options for special permission to participate in a third league.
Rauf’s omission raises questions about his selection for Pakistan’s upcoming series, including matches against England where there is no clear indication by the board that he is part of the plans.
Despite the uncertainty, he remains eager to continue representing Pakistan in both red-ball and white-ball formats.