PCB to receive up to Rs5.6 crore from Abu Dhabi T10 organisers in NOC deal for players

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the organisers of the Abu Dhabi T10 League have reached an agreement over the issuance of No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Pakistani cricketers, Geo news has reported.

According to a report, league organisers will provide the PCB with compensation and facilities worth up to USD 200,000 (around 5.6 crore Pakistani rupees) in exchange for the NOCs. The development has significantly increased the likelihood of Pakistani cricketers featuring in the upcoming edition of the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on November 7.

Report added that franchises and players had approached the PCB, requesting it to issue NOCs to allow the selected Pakistani players to take part. The matter was subsequently taken up with the relevant authorities, with the board considering the appeals sympathetically in an effort to reach an amicable solution.

Earlier, ESPNcricinfo reported that Pakistan players’ participation had become highly unlikely after the PCB reportedly withheld NOCs, demanding a fee of USD 10,000 for each certificate. The board’s late demand left franchises scrambling to either pay the additional fee or find replacement players ahead of the tournament.

According to the report, the Abu Dhabi T10 management submitted NOC applications for Pakistani players shortly after the player draft on September 30. However, PCB officials communicated the USD 10,000-per-player demand only at the beginning of this week, just days before the tournament’s start.

As many as 16 Pakistani cricketers were picked by five of the six participating teams during the draft. Some players were reportedly willing to pay the required fee from their own salaries if their franchises declined to cover the additional expense.

Last month, the PCB also withheld NOCs for Pakistani players selected for the Nepal Premier League (NPL), reportedly demanding USD 25,000 per player. While Hussain Talat and Jahandad Khan continued their participation in the tournament, several other Pakistani cricketers returned without featuring in the competition.

The PCB’s policy of seeking fees in exchange for NOCs for overseas franchise leagues has fluctuated over recent years. The issue first emerged around the launch of the International League T20 (ILT20), when the board sought payments from leagues where it believed reciprocal opportunities for Pakistani players were limited.

The Pakistani players picked in the Abu Dhabi T10 draft were Salman Irshad for Arabian Aces; Akif Javed, Hasan Nawaz and Ali Raza for Emirates Eagles; and Naseem Shah for Royal Desert Champions. UAE Bulls selected Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Khawaja Nafay, Khushdil Shah, Azam Khan and Mohammad Wasim Jnr, while United Tigers picked Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Sufyan Moqeem and Abbas Afridi.