PCB grants NOCs to players for Abu Dhabi T10 League
What's the story
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given a nod to its players for the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10 League, scheduled to start this weekend. The decision comes after a deal was struck between the PCB and the tournament organizers, ADT10. As part of the agreement, the PCB will receive a lump sum payment in exchange for granting No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to its players, Cricinfo reported.
Financial agreement
Deal finalized 2 days ahead of tournament's start
The deal was finalized on Thursday, just two days ahead of the tournament's start.
The payment amount is said to be less than the PCB's initial demand of $10,000 per NOC for each of the 16 players who were picked in a draft on September 30.
An official told Cricinfo that this new arrangement was more beneficial for Pakistan cricket than the earlier monetary compensation sought.
Previous cases
Delay in granting NOCs
The PCB had delayed granting NOCs after demanding a fee for making its players available this week.
This is the second time in two months that the PCB has demanded a fee from a league in exchange for granting NOCs at the last minute.
In October, it stopped its players from participating in Nepal Premier League (NPL) days before the tournament started, demanding $25,000 per NOC from league management.
Policy overview
PCB's stance on player availability in franchise leagues
The PCB has been inconsistent with its policy of demanding a fee in return for issuing an NOC to participate in franchise leagues.
This practice first emerged during the ILT20 launch, with the rationale being that it would apply to leagues where reciprocal player availability arrangements weren't particularly appealing.
The PCB believes players from the UAE and Nepal wouldn't be as popular as their Pakistani counterparts in Emirates Cricket Board-sanctioned leagues.