The participation of several prominent Pakistan cricketers in the upcoming Nepal Premier League has been thrown into sudden uncertainty as the Pakistan Cricket Board has yet to issue the necessary no-objection certificates for the tournament, which is scheduled to get underway on Monday.
According to multiple sources involved with the Nepal Premier League who spoke to Cricinfo, even players who had previously been issued NOCs have recently been instructed that their permission to take part in the upcoming T20 competition is currently on hold. The situation has created a tense atmosphere for tournament organizers, franchise owners, and players alike, with the tournament set to run from October 26 to November 21 this year.
The eight-team franchise tournament has attracted considerable interest and investment, bringing in international talent alongside local Nepalese stars. A contingent of Pakistan players who are slated to feature in the tournament, including Pakistan T20 captain Sahibzada Farhan, have already arrived in Kathmandu, where all of the matches for the league are scheduled to be held. However, other players who were packed and preparing to travel from Pakistan have reportedly chosen to delay their departure plans until the clearance issue is successfully resolved by the board.
Complicating matters further, individuals close to the Nepal Premier League disclosed that the PCB has allegedly required a fee in exchange for granting the NOCs. According to these sources, the payment is believed to be in the region of USD 25,000 for each individual Pakistan player requested by the league or franchises. However, despite these widespread whispers within tournament circles, Cricinfo could not independently confirm that such a formal financial demand has been put in writing to the league management.
At the time of reporting, the exact nature of the sticking point remains ambiguous. It is not yet entirely clear whether the alleged financial demand has become the core roadblock stalling the approvals, or if logistical and administrative delays within the board’s offices are to blame. The Pakistan Cricket Board did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the status of the NOCs or any potential fee structures associated with them.
The sudden holdup comes against the backdrop of significant recent shifts in how the Pakistan Cricket Board manages its players’ domestic and international commitments. Earlier this year, the PCB rolled out a new central contract structure designed to create clear operational distinctions between white-ball and red-ball cricket.
Among the notable innovations in that policy was a framework referred to as format track D. Under this specific category, players designated as T20 specialists were theoretically granted the freedom to ply their trade across as many global T20 leagues as they wished. The only caveat outlined in the policy was that these global franchise engagements must not clash with any mandatory international duties or series required of them by the PCB.
While the PCB has not yet publicly declared which specific track individual Pakistan players fall into under the new system, nor has it formally clarified whether the new contract structure has completely come into effect for all eligible cricketers, the practical landscape suggested smooth sailing for T20 freelancers. None of the Pakistan players currently slated to participate in this edition of the Nepal Premier League are part of Pakistan’s immediate One Day International or Test match plans, meaning their participation would theoretically have caused zero disruption to the national team’s primary red-ball and 50-over schedules.
Despite this alignment with white-ball priorities, the lack of official NOC issuance has placed the players in limbo. For franchise owners in Kathmandu, the clock is ticking rapidly with the tournament opener just hours away, and teams are desperately seeking clarity on whether their marquee overseas draft picks will be allowed to step onto the field. As the diplomatic and administrative talks continue behind closed doors, players already in Kathmandu wait anxiously for word from Lahore, while those back home keep their bags packed, hoping for a swift resolution to a crisis that threatens to disrupt one of the region’s most prominent emerging T20 competitions.
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