PCB Grants NOCs To Seven Pakistani Cricketers For Global Franchise Leagues

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday waved the green flag for seven national cricketers, granting them No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to participate in various global franchise leagues, a move that sees some familiar faces donning new jerseys across continents.

Leading the charge are Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, the left-arm duo who re-retired from international cricket late last year. The two will reunite as teammates for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, becoming the first Pakistani players to feature in this year’s edition of the fast-paced English competition.

Their selection comes after the Superchargers lost Australian pacer Ben Dwarshuis and New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner due to national commitments, opening the door for Amir and Imad’s inclusion. Their NOCs for The Hundred will cover August 7 to 10.

But the road doesn’t end there for Amir. The seasoned pacer has also been cleared to participate in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where he will take the field from August 15 to September 22. Joining him in the Caribbean carnival are fiery quick Naseem Shah and power-hitter Iftikhar Ahmed, who have also been granted NOCs – valid from August 15 to September 22 for Naseem and August 14 to September 21 for Iftikhar.

New shores, new chances

While the spotlight may be on the globe-trotting stars, the PCB has also opened doors for others. Left-handed opener Sharjeel Khan, who last represented Pakistan in 2021, has been issued an NOC to feature in Australia’s Top End T20 Series from August 15 to 25, signalling a possible audition for a longer return.

Meanwhile, all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah will bring their firepower to the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) later this year, with NOCs spanning December 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026.