In a major move ahead of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025 Draft, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to star cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, among a group of 13 players now cleared for overseas league participation.
The NOCs make Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen eligible for the BBL Draft scheduled for June 19, 2025, with availability approved from December 14 to 28, aligning with the core of the Australian summer T20 season. The timing is significant, especially given that all three players were recently rested from Pakistan’s home T20I assignments against New Zealand and Bangladesh.
This development not only indicates PCB’s strategic pivot toward accommodating player franchise interests, but also hints at broader player workload management in a packed international calendar.
Alongside the BBL trio, a handful of other national and fringe players have received clearance for stints across the globe. Mohammad Amir has been approved to continue playing in England’s T20 Blast until July 18, while Haris Rauf has been granted permission for the Major League Cricket (MLC) season in the U.S.
In England’s County Championship, Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas, Hasan Ali, and Khurram Shahzad have all secured NOCs for varying durations, continuing Pakistan’s long-standing tradition of producing county cricket mainstays. Meanwhile, Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Hassan Khan will be heading to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the Guyana Super League respectively.
Notably, rising talent Khawaja Nafay is also among those granted clearance, set to participate in the upcoming Global T20 Canada tournament.
The PCB’s issuance of NOCs follows internal debates over managing players’ fitness and form. But this round of approvals suggests a more open stance, likely driven by commercial realities and growing player preference for franchise T20 exposure.
With the BBL draft around the corner, the inclusion of top-tier names like Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen is expected to fuel bidding wars among Australian franchises hungry for international star power. All eyes now turn to June 19, where the draft will determine whether these Pakistani heavyweights land lucrative B
BL contracts.
