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The Pakistan Cricket Board is predicted to postpone
the No-Objection Certificate that Haris Rauf needs in order to play in the BBL,
which will put a stop to his participation in the tournament.
It’s highly
likely that Rauf won’t receive his NOC until at least December 11, which is
four days after the BBL starts. It is not guaranteed that it will be released
right away. Before the Pakistani team departs for Australia, Mohammad Hafeez is
expected to have a news conference in Lahore. It is believed that during this
event, further information regarding Rauf’s circumstances would be revealed.
The PCB expects Rauf to play in the entire National
T20 Cup in Pakistan, which is scheduled to conclude on December 10; this is the
official explanation for the postponement.
Rauf declined to play in Pakistan’s Test series
against Australia in December and January, according to a statement made last
week by Wahab Riaz, the country’s recently appointed head selector. While each
side contests the precise account of what transpired before to Rauf’s decision,
Wahab did not seek to conceal his disapproval. However, Wahab has considerable
control over which players receive NOCs and when in his capacity as top
selector, and there is currently no assurance that this impasse will end amicably.
Rauf’s withdrawal from the BBL is also expected to
cause a rift inside the league, especially with the Melbourne Stars, who hired
the fast bowler from Pakistan as a marquee player. Rauf’s absence from the BBL
was first thought to be limited to the five-match T20 series Pakistan will play
in New Zealand in mid-January, but any additional postponements will also
negatively impact that competition.
It could be cause for concern regarding Pakistan’s
centrally contracted players in general if Rauf’s NOC predicament continues.
Disagreements concerning the number of foreign leagues the players would be
allowed to play in each year caused a block in the long-running contract
negotiations between the PCB and the players. It is understood that they
decided on two, although joining either league required a NOC from the PCB.
The BBL runs from December 7, 2023 to January 24 next
year.