No Global T20 League for Babar, Rizwan to reduce workload

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi requested The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to let them play in the Global T20 League. 

However, the apex board has declined the No Objection Certificate request from these players citing work load. The board has received the request from these three players along with other players to play in the global T20 league. 

Refusing to give NOC, the apex board said Pakistan has a busy schedule from August 2024 to March 2025 as Pakistan has to play nine ICC World Test Championship matches and Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in Pakistan.

The PCB statement reads. 

“After taking into consideration Pakistan’s busy and packed cricket calendar in the period from August 2024 to March 2025, which includes nine ICC World Test Championship matches and next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and following consultations with the three players as well as the national selection committee, it has been decided to decline their requests.”

Managing workload

According to the board, the decision to not to give clean chit to the Global t20 event is because the board doesn’t want to overburden players as they have to play a lot of cricket in the coming months. 

“The three are all-format cricketers and their services are expected to be required in the upcoming eight months during which Pakistan will play nine Tests, 14 ODIs, and nine T20Is,” the statement said.

“As such, and in line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming event in Canada so that they are in their best mental and physical shape for the season, which commences with the two-Test series against Bangladesh.”

The apex board also declined Naseem Shah’s request citing the same reasons. 

Pakistan upcoming series

Pakistan will next play a two-match test series against Bangladesh on August 21 and then a home test series against England in October. Thereafter the men in green will head to Australia for limited-overs games in November. 

In November-December, Pakistan will visit South Africa for an all-format series, followed by a home series against England in Test.

The Champions Trophy is also scheduled to take place in February 2025 that proceeds with an ODI  tri-series between Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa. Then the season will conclude with New Zealand’s five T20Is and  three ODIs.