In a significant move, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended all previously issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for national players intending to participate in overseas T20 leagues. This decision, announced by PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed on September 29, comes a day after Pakistan's narrow loss to India in the Asia Cup 2025 final.

"With the approval of Chairman PCB, all No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players with respect to participation in leagues and other out-of-country tournaments are hereby put on hold until further orders," the notice, seen by ESPNcricinfo.

Affected Players

The suspension impacts several leading cricketers, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf.

These players were previously granted NOCs to participate in prominent leagues such as the Big Bash League (BBL) and ILT20.

While the PCB has not officially cited the Asia Cup defeat as the sole reason for this decision, reports suggest that the board aims to implement a performance-based system for future NOC approvals. Under this new policy, players will be evaluated based on their performances in international and domestic cricket before being granted permission to participate in foreign leagues.

Impact on upcoming leagues

The suspension has significant implications for upcoming T20 leagues. With the BBL season set to begin in December, the absence of key Pakistani players could affect the league's viewership and competitiveness.