The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opted not to grant No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to Pakistani cricketers selected for the forthcoming Zim Afro T10 League, attributing its decision to the league’s absence of official sanction from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Media sources indicate that the PCB has made it unequivocally clear that none of the country’s national players will be permitted to participate until the tournament secures ICC approval. This ruling impacts a number of prominent cricketers such as Shahnawaz Dahani, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan, Sharjeel Khan, and Salman Arshad, all of whom were named to take part in the event.

Furthermore, the involvement of Shahnawaz Dahani, Asif Ali, and Haider Ali in the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup complicates matters, as they are already committed to teams in that competition, making their availability for the Zim Afro T10 League even more challenging.

Contradicting the PCB’s stance, a representative from the T10 League argued that ICC approval should not be necessary, stating, “The Zimbabwe Cricket Board, as a full-fledged member of the ICC, has issued the league’s licence, so additional approval is redundant.”

The league’s franchises have already confirmed the acquisition of top-tier global players through direct contracts, with the draft set to occur on September 8.

Each team will consist of a 15-player roster, with the possibility of adding a 16th global icon, while up to six Zimbabwean players will feature per squad. The second edition of the tournament is set to take place in Harare from September 21 to 29.