Pakistan Cricket Board Denies NOC To Pakistan Wicketkeeper-Batter Azam Khan To Play At Inaugural International League T20 (ILT20)

Azam Khan is the only Pakistan player included in the inaugural International League T20 (ILT20) and the Desert Vipers signed him. However, the PCB has not given him permission to play in the league. The right-handed batsman has not got the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the board and he will not be able to play in the league.

The Desert Vipers, the league’s only non-Indian owned franchise, signed him. Azam Khan will be the only Pakistani player to participate in the tournament, but as per reports, the 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has not received the NOC to participate in the league, which starts early next year.

Pakistani players are not playing in the South African league as the owners are Indians. Given the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, the situation is difficult for Pakistani players.

Azam Khan, the son of former Pakistan great wicketkeeper Moin Khan, was signed directly to the Vipers franchise, which is coached by Tom Moody, and this created a perception that more Pakistan players would be attracted to the Lancer Capitals-owned team. It was also believed that the Vipers team would be full of Pakistani players, but as per recent developments, that scenario will not be on the cards. Other franchise owners come from India.

ILT20 is a professional franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament in which six franchise teams compete in a 34-match event with 84 international and 24 UAE-based players. The six franchises include Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Kolkata Knight Riders), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).

Azam Azam skipped the National T20 Cup to play in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) earlier this year for the Barbados Royals. He was initially denied an NOC to travel to the West Indies but later received it. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) prefers players who play on the domestic circuit. Azam does not have a central contract with the national team, although he played three Twenty20 Internationals last year.

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