Reports: Pakistani players denied NOC for BBL from PCB, dark clouds over participation in ILT20 and CSA League

No-objection certificates (NOCs) are being withheld by the PCB for Pakistani players who wish to take part in the upcoming Big Bash League season, regardless of whether they have contracts or not. Additionally, the board has not made it clear whether players will be permitted to compete in the ILT20 in the UAE, early the following year.

The busy domestic and international calendar is thought to be the cause of the stance. Players without contracts at the domestic or international levels are prohibited, however, it is unclear why. Although there were no Pakistani cricketers among the 98 foreign players who submitted their names for the BBL draft, many were anticipated to do so before the deadline.

As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, several prominent Pakistani players have reportedly been offered contracts at the ILT20, although no names have been publicly declared. The PCB had been using an unofficial “PSL plus one” criteria as a guideline for their players’ involvement in foreign leagues for a while.

However, it is unclear if such is still the scenario under chairman Ramiz Raja’s management. The demand for Pakistani players is set to increase given the inclusion of the ILT20 and the CSA’s new league. But as of now, not even signing up for a draft can be done without PCB’s approval, receiving an NOC comes later in the picture.

Due to their inability to participate in the IPL, Pakistan’s top players feel as though they are missing out on significant financial rewards. As a result, there is a heightened realization of resentment among them. At one point, it was suggested that the PCB may pay players for not participating in other leagues, but given the high value of contracts available in those leagues, upwards of US$ 400,000 in the ILT20, the PCB has since not advanced discussions on it.

Although there is no clear connection between the issues, the approaching debate over player central contracts is adding to the confusion. For 2022–2023, the PCB stated it would grant 33 contracts to players for both the white and red-ball formats. Players have requested copies of the contracts from the board so they can have a lawyer review them before deciding whether or not to sign.

In other nations that is a regular procedure, but not in Pakistan, where cricketers are used to receiving their central contracts right before a tour or during a pre-tour camp and being instructed to sign and submit them almost immediately. These contract documents frequently have 150 pages or more. The PCB hasn’t officially negotiated contracts with players in the past, and players haven’t often contested any conditions beyond securing adequate yearly wage increases.

PCB’s management policies unclear

However, the players of today are more conscious of their market value and how it should be reflected in a contract. One recent instance is when a player was initially informed that he could not sign a personal contract with a firm that was a competitor of one of the PCB’s associates [not title] sponsors.

While the contract contains clauses prohibiting players from signing sponsorship agreements that compete with Pakistan’s major sponsors the policy is unclear regarding smaller sponsorships.

In this case, however, the player was successful in persuading the PCB to compromise thanks to his legal counsel. There is yet no proof that players could use their refusal to sign the contracts as negotiating leverage to get the PCB to back down on the NOCs issue, but things could get heated.

The same as it was in November 2019, Pakistan’s lack of a players’ association makes it difficult to negotiate central contracts, care for player welfare, and implement more comprehensive laws that may serve as a framework for such circumstances. Player agents have generally been involved, but the PCB won’t negotiate contracts with them. There have been numerous unsuccessful attempts to start a union in the past.