PCB to delay Haris Rauf's NOC for BBL; expects pacer to play the entire National T20 Cup 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Haris Rauf for his upcoming stint with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL), and his participation may not be approved at least until December 11.

The 2023-24 edition of the BBL is slated to begin on December 7, and the Melbourne Stars signed Rauf as their marquee player, continuing the association that began in 2019. It is to be noted that the Stars only have the overseas pacer's services for a limited period of time, with Pakistan's tour of New Zealand slated to begin from January 12, 2024 onwards.

According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the PCB wants Rauf to finish his stint in Pakistan's short-format domestic competition, the National T20 Cup, which will go on until December 10. He played for Islamabad in their loss against Karachi, where he finished with figures of 1-21 off his four overs.

The report further states that newly appointed director and head coach Mohammad Hafeez will hold a press conference before the team departs for Australia for the three-match Test series.

The delay behind the granting of the NOC is also expected to attain clarity from an official word.

Haris Rauf had allegedly refused to be part of the upcoming Australia tour

Newly appointed chief selector Wahab Riaz had stated that Haris Rauf had gone back on his word and refused to be part of the Test squad for the Australia series.

Wahab expressed his disappointment over the pacer's actions while announcing the squad for the series. The pacer, on the other hand, denied that he refused to be part of the squad.

As a selector, Wahab has authority to a certain extent over the NOCs, which does not bode well for Haris Rauf. Furthermore, the delay behind the pacer's NOC will also be concerning to several contracted players, who play in multiple franchise T20 leagues around the world over the course of the year.

All-rounder Imad Wasim recently announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 34 and will continue to focus on T20 tournaments around the globe, without the hurdle of a NOC.

Will Haris Rauf be granted permission to play in the BBL after his refusal to tour Australia as part of the Test squad? Let us know what you think.