Overview

• PCB chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed notified players on September 29 that all NOCs are on hold until further orders.
• The freeze affects stars already cleared or lined up for the Big Bash League, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, and leaves ILT20 auction plans in doubt.
• PCB sources say future approvals will depend on national and domestic performance, with underperforming players directed to the National Cricket Academy before seeking overseas deals.
• The board has not provided criteria, a timeline for review, or guidance on possible exemptions, and previously issued NOCs now stand suspended.
• The move coincides with Pakistan’s domestic calendar, including the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy slated for October, reinforcing an emphasis on home commitments.