PCB Extortion? Nepal League Players Face NOC Crisis

The Nepal Premier League (NPL) is facing a significant disruption just one day before its scheduled start on Monday, October 26, 2026. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly withholding No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for six Pakistani players signed to NPL teams. Reports indicate the PCB is demanding a substantial fee of $25,000 per player for these clearances.

These players, including Hasan Ali, Usama Mir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat, and Haider Ali, have already arrived in Nepal for the tournament. The situation has created considerable uncertainty, with fears that their participation could be jeopardized if the dispute is not resolved swiftly. The NPL itself only received ICC sanction on October 16, 2026.

This is not the first instance of such a dispute. In July 2026, Major League Cricket franchises lodged similar complaints against the PCB, accusing the board of demanding $25,000 per player for NOCs and employing what some termed extortionate practices. Franchise owners expressed frustration over the timing of these demands, which were raised close to the tournament's commencement, leaving little room for adjustments.

While cricket boards are generally entitled to compensation when their contracted players earn from foreign leagues, the method of imposing these fees is being heavily criticized. Announcing such a fee during player recruitment allows franchises to budget accordingly. However, demanding it just before a tournament begins, especially for a smaller league like the NPL, places undue financial pressure and risk on the teams and, more importantly, the players themselves, whose earnings are at stake.