The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it had given clearance to former captain Shahid Afridi for taking part in the inaugural Sri Lankan Premier League starting later this month.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it had given clearance to former captain Shahid Afridi for taking part in the inaugural Sri Lankan Premier League starting later this month.
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A senior PCB official confirmed that the board had given permission to the Sri Lankan authorities to sign around 10 Pakistan players including Afridi for the league.
"We gave these permissions and clearance for the players including Afridi sometime back. But now when he individually also applies for a No-Objection Certificate or the Sri Lankan organizers reconfirm his availability, we see no problem in giving him clearance," the Daily Times quoted the official, as saying.
Afridi, who is presently playing for Hampshire in the domestic T20 cricket, was entangled in a feud with the PCB last month after the board revoked his NOC to play for Hampshire.
The board issued a fresh NOC after he appeared before a PCB disciplinary committee and accepted a fine of 4.5 million rupees for breaching the code of conduct and also withdrew a petition he had filed at the Sindh High Court against the board.
Contrary to the popular belief, that more than a dozen Pakistan players would get an opportunity to play in the SLPL following withdrawal of 12 Indian players, the PCB official said he expected only around 12 players from Pakistan to feature in the league.
"So far we have given around 10 clearances and there are some seven pending, but they are issues over paper work and availability and we don't think more than 12 Pakistan players will play in the league," he added.
He also clarified that even if players and their agents independently contacted the SLPL organizers, they would still have to get NOCs from the PCB.
Pakistan players have started using their contacts to secure contracts in the league after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revoked permission given to 12 players to take part in the league.
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