**Islamabad, Pakistan – September 30, 2025** – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended all No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for its players intending to participate in Twenty20 leagues outside Pakistan, ESPNcricinfo reported on Tuesday. This unexpected move places a halt on Pakistani cricketers’ involvement in lucrative global tournaments.
According to the report, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed issued a directive to players and their agents, formally announcing the decision. The notification, which was seen by ESPNcricinfo, stated: “With the approval of chairman PCB, all NOCs for players with respect to participation in leagues and other out of country tournaments are hereby put on hold until further orders.”
The immediate reason behind the board’s decision remains unclear. However, reports suggest the PCB is considering a new performance-based system for issuing NOCs, with the aim of incentivising stronger national and domestic performances. The specific criteria for this proposed system have not yet been made public, and there is no indication of how long this evaluation period will last before the current suspension is lifted.
The suspension directly impacts several high-profile Pakistani cricketers. Seven players, including national captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, were expected to feature in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) scheduled for December. Additionally, 16 Pakistani players, among them Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, and Fakhar Zaman, are on the shortlist for the International League T20 (ILT20) auction, set to take place on October 1 in the United Arab Emirates.
Domestically, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, is scheduled to commence on October 26, featuring 18 regional teams divided into three groups.
This development comes just two days after the Pakistan national team, known as the Green Shirts, suffered a defeat against arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup 2025 final. Pakistan had also lost twice to India earlier in the tournament. The Asia Cup followed a successful period for Pakistan, who had recently won a T20 International tri-series involving Afghanistan and the UAE.
