The Pakistan Cricket Board has declined to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi for the Global T20 League Canada.

It was decided in view of Pakistan’s packed cricket calendar from August 2024 to March 2025, which includes nine ICC World Test Championship matches and next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the board said in a statement.

The board added that the decision was taken after consultations with the three players as well as the national selection committee.

“The three are all-format cricketers and their services are expected to be required in the upcoming eight months during which Pakistan will play nine Tests, 14 ODIs, and nine T20Is,” it said.

“As such, and in line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming event in Canada so that they are in their best mental and physical shape for the season, which commences with the two-Test series against Bangladesh.”

Earlier, the PCB also declined permission to Naseem Shah for The Hundred on the same grounds.

In the meantime, the PCB has approved NOCs for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz. The four players are predominantly white-ball cricketers, while Iftikhar and Nawaz are centrally contracted players.