Key Takeaways
- MLC franchises accuse the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of extorting $25,000 NOC fees for Pakistani players.
- The PCB demands these fees around a week before the tournament starts, leaving teams with limited options.
- Several MLC franchises are reconsidering signing Pakistani cricketers due to these unexpected charges.
MLC franchises have accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of extorting $25,000 No Objection Certificate (NOC) fees for Pakistani players. According to a source close to an MLC franchise owner, the PCB allegedly demands these payments last minute, just before the tournament begins, when teams have already finalized their squads.
The source told PakPassion that franchises are not informed about the fee during player recruitment. Instead, they are only notified around a week before the start of the season, leaving them with little time to replace players or adjust their budgets accordingly. The source claimed, “It’s more the extortion the PCB does,” highlighting the practice as unfair and unannounced.
An incident cited by PakPassion involved an MLC franchise being asked to pay another $25,000 just hours before a match after the PCB realized it had not charged for one of the team's Pakistani players. The source alleged that the franchise was told the player’s NOC would be processed if the payment reached the PCB’s bank account before the first ball of the match.
Franchise owners have raised concerns with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, arguing that there is no publicly announced policy outlining such fees. According to PakPassion, the PCB maintains that these charges are a legitimate source of revenue. However, another concern highlighted by the source was that paying the fee reportedly does not guarantee player availability. The PCB retains the authority to revoke an NOC during a tournament, potentially requiring franchises to obtain another NOC and pay an additional fee.
The uncertainty surrounding these alleged charges has led several MLC franchises to avoid signing PCB-contracted players altogether. Owners are reportedly unwilling to risk unexpected costs that disrupt their budgets. Only Haris Rauf, who represents the San Francisco Unicorns, is featured as a Pakistani player in this year’s MLC season.
The PCB has not publicly responded to the allegations published by PakPassion, and the claims remain unverified.
It's more the extortion the PCB does
A source close to an MLC franchise owner
