Pakistani players' NPL places in doubt as PCB withholds clearances
The Pakistan Cricket Board has not issued no-objection certificates for its players in the Nepal Premier League, and Janakpur Bolts plans to send two of them home.
Pakistani cricketers signed for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) remain unsure of playing because the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not issued the no-objection certificates (NOCs) they need. The tournament began on Monday, October 26, at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur and runs until November 21.
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) President Chatur Bahadur Chand told Onlinekhabar that the PCB had not responded at all on the certificates, and that the association could not make players take part without them. He said the PCB's step set a wrong precedent and weakened leagues with franchise potential.
Reports differ on whether the PCB is asking for money. The Kathmandu Post, citing ESPNcricinfo, reported that people involved in the league said the board had sought a fee believed to be around US$25,000 per player; ESPNcricinfo said it could not confirm whether the demand had been made formally in writing. Onlinekhabar reported that the PCB had demanded an additional US$25,000 to issue the certificates. Janakpur Bolts Chief Executive Officer Niroj Khatiwada told Onlinekhabar that the PCB had not spoken to the franchise at all and that it had no information that such a demand had been made officially.
A Karnali Yaks official told Kantipur, as reported by the Kathmandu Post, that the franchise was prepared to pay the amount on behalf of Sahibzada Farhan and Hussain Talat. Farhan has since returned to Pakistan. Nepal Press reported on October 27, citing sources, that Karnali had accepted the PCB's condition to keep Talat, who was in the team's playing eleven that day.
Janakpur Bolts' Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah will return home, Onlinekhabar reported on October 28. Khatiwada said the franchise had emailed the PCB but received no official reply, and that the players would go back if no clear decision came. He said the last-minute uncertainty had hurt the team's balance and preparation.
Chitwan Rhinos had signed Usama Mir, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz, according to Onlinekhabar. With the Pakistani players' availability uncertain, franchises have struggled to fill their quota of four foreign players.