by: Atika Mehboob TN Sport Pakistan:
Pakistan newly-appointed team director Mohammad Hafeez has shared insights into the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) policy for Pakistani cricketers.
There seems to be a potential obstacle in the participation of Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf in the Big Bash League 2023-24, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is anticipated to delay the issuance of the necessary NOC for his involvement in the league, as reported by ESPNCricinfo.
During a press conference held on Tuesday in Lahore, Hafeez mentioned that they will soon unveil a clear NOC policy that will be made public.
“We will soon come up with a clear NOC policy that will be made public. When you’re offered a central contract, the FTP of all 3 formats is kept in mind, and players getting central contracts should be available for Pakistan,” Hafeez said.
He acknowledged the existence of leagues but highlighted the need to manage workloads, especially considering the fatigue observed in players during the recent ODI World Cup.
“We have leagues as well, but we saw a lot of talk in the World Cup that players were fatigued due to heavy workloads. We have the T20 World Cup in mind going forward, and the NOC policy will keep Pakistan’s priorities in mind. If we want fit players, we need to manage workloads,” he added.
Hafeez also stressed the need to prioritize representing Pakistan and elevate the importance of playing domestic cricket in the country. He emphasized the significance of red-ball cricket, considering it the foundation of a player’s skills.
“We need to proritize representing Pakistan. We also need to bring playing domestic cricket in Pakistan to the top of our priorities. Red-ball cricket is the most important cricket, but we’re seeing many players in Pakistan are moving away from or don’t want to play red-ball cricket. To bring focus back, we’re going to take some measures. Perhaps some people will feel they’re a little harsh, but this is important to save Pakistan cricket,” Hafeez said.
“Until we aren’t playing red-ball cricket well, we can’t play any cricket. Long-form cricket polishes your basics, and our strategy is that we will promote players that play red-ball cricket and give them maximum opportunities. If someone has moved away from this path, we need to bring them back to improve their game,” he added.
