Pakistan’s star trio Babar Azam, Mohammed Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, are unlikely to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for featuring in the upcoming Global T20 Canada, sources told Geo News. The sources informed Geo News that the players won’t get an NOC despite the league schedule, avoiding any clashes with Pakistan’s international fixtures. Pakistan will play the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which will kick off on August 21. The Canadian League will be played from July 25 to August 11.

It was also reported that the reason for the likely denial of the NOC is that players playing in all formats will not be issued the certificate according to the policy. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not in favour of issuing NOCs to players because of the hectic schedule that lies ahead of them.

Star pacer Naseem Shah was also denied an NOC last week to feature in The Hundred. The sources informed Geo News that, after reviewing the application submitted by the Pakistan cricketer, the decision to deny the NOC has been taken as a preventive measure.

The sources stated that Naseem’s application has been dismissed to safeguard him from injuries since the youngster features in all three formats for Pakistan and suffered injuries and fitness challenges last year.

Apart from the star trio, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Asif Ali, and Iftikhar Ahmed also have Global T20 Canada contracts.

Earlier this week, PCB chairman Naqvi stated that the players would get the NOC based on certain criteria. Players who fulfil the criteria will get the NOC.

“The players will be promoted on the basis of their fitness and performance. There’s no place for players who do not fit the criteria. There’ll also be no compromise on discipline,” said PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.

In their crucial World Test Championship matches against Bangladesh, Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillispie has already hinted at the possible unavailability of star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the series.

Shaheen and his wife, Ansha, who got married last year, are expecting the birth of their first child. Due to this, he could miss the Test series against Bangladesh next month.

“Shaheen can miss Bangladesh Test matches due to childbirth. We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then,” Pakistan’s red-ball coach, Jason Gillispie, said last week.

File photo of Pakistan cricket team.© AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board might not be able bring about major changes in the national team in the wake of the side’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 as that could lead to a confrontation with senior players, according to sources. PCB’s governing board, scheduled to meet here on Saturday, will take cognizance of white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten and senior team manager Wahab Riaz’s reports submitted to chairman Mohsin Naqvi. But a source said, only cosmetic changes will take place and the “same set of players” would likely continue to play.

Naqvi had been quoted as saying following Pakistan’s defeat to India in the World Cup that a “major surgery” was required in the team.

“The reports by Kirsten and Riaz will help the Governing Board and chairman Naqvi decide the next course of action but all indications are there Naqvi doesn’t want a confrontation with senior players and he has also been advised against massive changes in the team,” a source told PTI.

“There are so many outside voices and pressures from within the system that all this talk about big changes is unlikely to happen. So, basically, with a few changes, the same set of players will be in the Pakistan team for coming games as well in all formats,” he added.

On whether Babar Azam would be retained as white-ball captain following the dismal T20 World Cup showing, another source said that while there is a group, including some former Test captains, which wants to see Shaheen Afridi replace Babar, if there are changes, the prime candidates for captaincy would be Shan Masood and Muhammad Rizwan.

“You could see cosmetic changes, like changes in the selection committee, and the same old story of reorganising domestic cricket to help do damage control. But the senior players remain strong,” he said.

Kirsten’s report is said to contain the same observations he made during his interaction with the players in the dressing room after the match against Ireland in the Group stage.

Kirsten had warned senior pros in the side following the team’s loss to the USA and India to adapt to new skill-sets and improve their game awareness or get left behind. Wahab, on the other hand, outlined personality clashes in the side during the World Cup.

Pakistan next play a two-Test series against Bangladesh followed by three Tests against England. It is unlikely that senior players like Babar and Rizwan would want to take a break from these assignments.