The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to grant fast bowler Naseem Shah a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in The Hundred cricket league, citing concerns over workload management and injury prevention.
Naseem Shah, who was signed by Birmingham Phoenix for £125,000, stands to miss out on approximately Rs 45 million due to this decision. According to sources, PCB reviewed Shah’s application for NOC considering his pivotal role across all formats for the national team and his recent history of fitness challenges, including a shoulder injury that required surgery in October 2023.
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This injury had sidelined him from the ICC World Cup 2023 and required extensive rehabilitation before his return to competitive cricket earlier this year.
Impact and Rehabilitation
Following his surgery, Naseem Shah underwent a period of four to six weeks of rehabilitation, during which he had to abstain from competitive cricket. His return to the field was marked by his participation in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024, where he played a crucial role in Islamabad United’s championship-winning campaign.
Subsequently, Shah was included in Pakistan’s T20I squad and featured prominently in the recent T20 World Cup. Despite this, PCB’s decision underscores their commitment to ensuring Shah’s long-term fitness and availability, particularly ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming engagements in the World Test Championship.
Test Matches
Pakistan’s schedule includes vital matches in the World Test Championship, with a two-match series against Bangladesh slated to commence on August 21. While Naseem Shah’s NOC for The Hundred has been denied, only Usama Mir has received official permission from PCB to participate in the tournament.
Players like Shaheen Afridi and Imad Wasim, also drafted into different teams for The Hundred, await confirmation of their NOCs from PCB. Earlier reports suggested similar NOC denials for other key players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for their prospective participation in the Global T20 Canada, pending ICC approval.
This decision reflects PCB’s cautious approach towards managing player workload and prioritizing national team commitments amidst the global T20 and The Hundred leagues’ lure.