The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) abrupt decision to halt the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) not only sparked debate in local cricket circles but also disrupted participation plans for several retired Pakistani players in leagues across the United States and Canada, prompting an intervention from Wahab Riaz.
According to Saleem Khaliq, the confusion began when the PCB cancelled all previously issued NOCs for players participating in overseas leagues. The directive, circulated to league organizers worldwide, failed to clarify whether the suspension applied solely to active players or also included those who had retired. This ambiguity led several international leagues to block Pakistani players from competing until they could produce valid NOCs.
Among the affected cricketers were Sohail Tanvir (Atlanta Kings), Wahab Riaz himself (Chicago Cricket Club), and Rumman Raees (Los Angeles Waves) in the U.S. Meanwhile, in the Canada T10 League (Super60), set to begin on October 8 in Vancouver, players like Saeed Ajmal (Mississauga Masters) and Shoaib Malik (White Rock Warriors) were also asked to provide clearance from the PCB.
The situation caused significant disruption, forcing organizers to make last-minute adjustments and leaving players uncertain about their participation.
However, the issue was reportedly resolved after Wahab Riaz, who remains informally involved with the PCB, intervened and helped clarify the board’s stance. Following discussions, retired players were eventually cleared to participate in their respective leagues.
While Wahab Riaz managed to secure clearances for the retired cricketers, there is still no clarity on whether contracted players will be allowed to feature in franchise leagues in the coming weeks. Whether this leads to any resentment remains to be seen.
