PCB denies Usama Mir NOC for T20 Blast

Pakistan leg-spinner Usama Mir has been barred from participating in this year's T20 Blast after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to issue him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

Mir, who was set to play for Worcestershire Rapids, finds himself unable to join the tournament despite being left out of Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad.

The PCB's decision, as reported by ESPNcricinfo, stems from Mir's three-year central contract with the board. This contract, effective from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, allows centrally contracted players to participate in only two franchise T20 leagues per season in addition to the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Mir's participation in the Hundred in August 2023 and the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 has already exhausted his allowable leagues for the current contractual period.

Although Mir had not signed his central contract when he played in the Hundred, the contract was backdated to start from July 1, 2023. During his brief stint in the BBL, he was recalled after just five matches to join the national squad for a T20I series in New Zealand, as all NOCs are contingent on national duties, according to the PCB.

It is worth noting that Mir also played for Manchester Originals in the Hundred last season and has been retained for the 2024 season with a £60,000 contract. He aims to participate in the Hundred and another league this season, pending PCB approval.