The participation of several Pakistan cricketers in the Nepal Premier League Season 3 has been thrown into doubt after their no-objection certificates (NOCs) were reportedly put on hold by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The development has created uncertainty for seven Pakistan players. They are Sahibzada Farhan, Haider Ali, Hunain Shah, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali and Usama Mir.
None of the players are currently part of Pakistan’s Test or ODI squads. The Nepal Premier League also does not clash with any scheduled international assignment for Pakistan.
The third season of the NPL began on October 26 and will run until November 21. Eight teams are taking part in the tournament, with matches being played in Kathmandu.
Some of the Pakistan players had already reached Kathmandu when the NOC issue emerged. Others reportedly decided not to travel until the matter was cleared.
PCB fee demand reportedly behind NOC issue
People linked to the Nepal Premier League claimed that the PCB had asked for a fee for issuing each NOC. The amount was reportedly around USD 25,000 per player.
However, the reported demand has not been independently confirmed. Cricinfo could not verify whether the PCB had formally made such a request to the league.
The PCB also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It remains unclear if the reported fee is the main reason for the delay or if other administrative issues are involved.
The situation comes after Pakistan introduced a new central contract structure earlier in 2026. It included a reported format track D category for T20 specialists.
Under the proposed system, players in this category could take part in T20 leagues around the world. They would, however, need to ensure that their league commitments did not clash with international duties.
The PCB has not revealed which contract track the seven players involved in the NPL issue belong to. It is also unclear whether the new system has formally come into effect.
For now, their participation in Nepal’s premier T20 tournament remains uncertain.
