Haris Rauf might hit a roadblock in joining BBL 13, as the Pakistan Cricket Board could delay issuing the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) necessary for his participation.
Reports from ESPNCricinfo suggest Rauf’s NOC might not arrive until December 11, four days after BBL starts. There’s uncertainty about immediate approval afterward.
The holdup stems from Pakistan’s National T20 Cup running until December 10, which the PCB expects Rauf to be fully engaged in.
Recently, Pakistan’s chief selector Wahab Riaz revealed Rauf turned down the Test series in Australia scheduled for December-January.
Wahab expressed disappointment, but conflicting accounts between both sides cloud the situation.
Reportedly, the 30-year-old declined Test cricket, citing inexperience in the format.
Rauf mentioned focusing on white-ball cricket and fitness due to his limited Test exposure.
His possible absence from BBL concerns Melbourne Stars, who counted on him as a key player. They anticipated his return after Pakistan’s T20 series in mid-January. Further delays disrupt their plans.
Melbourne Stars had special memberships and a seating zone dedicated to Rauf for their initial games at MCG.
Continued delays might worry other Pakistani players in BBL, including Usama Mir and Zaman Khan.
Contract talks between PCB and players faced hurdles, notably disagreement over the number of foreign leagues players could join annually.
They agreed on a two-league limit, reliant on PCB’s NOC.
BBL 13 spans from December 7, 2023, to January 24 next year.
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