Nepal Premier League Franchises Suffer Major Blow Over PCB’s NOC Demands

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) last-minute demand of $25, 000 per player for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) has disrupted the Nepal Premier League (NPL), leaving a number of franchises without their Pakistani signings despite having finalized deals ahead of the tournament.

Key points

• While Sudurpaschim Royals were unable to field Haider Ali, karnali Yaks secured clearance for Hussain Talat but had to send back Sahibzada Farhan.
• According to the Kathmandu Post, four franchises had signed seven Pakistani cricketers for the league's third season, but only Hussain Talat, representing Karnali Yaks, managed to participate.
• Janakpur Bolts were among the affected franchises after Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah were unable to play despite arriving in Kathmandu.
• Chitwan Rhinos additionally lost Usama Mir and Hassan Ali due to the NOC problem.
• In a broader context, it is a major blow for overall Nepali cricket, Janakpur Bolts CEO Niroj Khatiwada informed the publication.

Notably, the situation has forced teams to arrange replacements at short notice, with franchise authorities describing the development as a major setback for the tournament.

Janakpur Bolts were among the affected franchises after Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah were unable to play despite arriving in Kathmandu. Both players were present with the squad during Tuesday's match against Karnali Yaks but remained on the bench.

"This is definitely a disappointment for us. In a broader context, it is a major blow for overall Nepali cricket, " Janakpur Bolts CEO Niroj Khatiwada informed the publication.

According to Khatiwada, neither player would represent the franchise this season. Nevertheless, both will remain in Nepal briefly to attend training sessions and share their experience with younger players.

As their agreements were based on appearances, the franchise will cover their travel and accommodation expenses but will not pay match fees.

Other franchises have additionally been affected. While Sudurpaschim Royals were unable to field Haider Ali, karnali Yaks secured clearance for Hussain Talat but had to send back Sahibzada Farhan.

Chitwan Rhinos additionally lost Usama Mir and Hassan Ali due to the NOC problem. Mir had already arrived in Kathmandu before being ruled out, forcing the franchise to bring in Tom Taylor and Daniel Richard Mousley as replacements.

Kathmandu Gorkhas operations head Shrawan Bahadur Singh additionally disclosed that the franchise had signed another Pakistani player but had not confirmed the agreement since of uncertainty surrounding the NOC requirement.

For context, the PCB has had an NOC policy in place since 2020, but its publicly available guidelines do not mention a $25, 000 payment requirement for participation in foreign franchise leagues.

Nevertheless, Pakistani players have continued to receive clearance for overseas competitions, with PCB records showing that around 40 players had been granted NOCs for various leagues in 2026 as of August 8.

When the PCB's documented $25, 000 demand created uncertainty over Pakistani players' participation, a similar dispute previously affected Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States in 2023 and again in 2026.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, speaking during the NPL's opening-day coverage, expressed hope that the matter would be resolved before the next season.

"I am sure Pakistan will look into this matter and I think they will allow players for the next year. Hopefully, " Akhtar remarked.

Meanwhile, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) authorities have maintained that franchises are responsible for negotiating with the PCB and completing the necessary clearance procedures.

While franchise office-holders have pressed a foreign-player draft system to control recruitment costs and produce financial planning easier, the dispute has additionally prompted NPL teams to reconsider future Pakistani signings. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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For now, nepal Premier League Franchises Suffer Major Blow Over PCB's NOC Demands remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.