Pakistan withdraws players from Abu Dhabi T10, but Afridi set to play
The Pakistan cricket board (PCB) revoked the ‘no-objection certificates’ it had given to its contracted players to feature in next month’s Abu Dhabi T10, citing workload management and primacy of domestic cricket as the reasons.
In a huge blow to the tournament, no Pakistan player – apart from the retired Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir – will feature in the 10-over tournament to be held in the capital from November 15-24.
Explaining their decision, the PCB said that as they have lined up a fitness camp ahead of the next round of first-class matches, monitoring the workload of players was imperative. “To manage the players’ workload, continued work on their fitness levels as well as to ensure primacy and participation of players in its premier Quaide-Azam trophy, the PCB has revoked conditional NOCs of its players to feature in the T10 tournament,” the board said in a statement.
“The fitness and medical assessment camp will be held at the National Cricket Academy from November 13-25, while the seventh and 10th round matches of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will be played between November 11-December 5 ... the decision has been made in the best interest of the players as well as to continue to enhance the credibility and reputation of the new domestic structure.”
Among those who will no longer be a part of Abu Dhabi T10 are Mohammed Amir (Team Abu Dhabi), Mohammed Hafeez (Qalandars), Shoaib Malik (Delhi Bulls) and Wahab Riaz (Northern Warriors).
The withdrawal of the ‘NOC’ means only two out of the 19 Pakistani players picked will play in the tournament.
The decision came even as the league organisers had decided to extend an opportunity to amateurs to be a part of the eight franchises through a innovative selection procedure using a mobile application.
Cricketers can create online profiles and upload videos of their performances – bowling, batting, wicket-keeping or fielding – through an app from UAE-based digital platform Dreams2Play. The profiles will be judged by a panel of ICC-approved coaches.
Dreams2Play will then deliver a list of around 100 players for a special player draft where each of the eight teams must pick one or two names.
For more information, log on to www.dreams2play.com.