Afridi won’t need NOC to play in SLPL’
our correspondent
Thursday, June 02, 2011
KARACHI: Under-fire after his outburst against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), former captain Shahid Afridi received good news from Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Sources told ‘The News’ that organisers of the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) have told Afridi that they won’t be needing any No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for him to play in the tournament.
“Afridi has received assurances from SLPL officials that they won’t require any clearance from the cricket board,” said a source. “They have told Afridi that he will be playing in the league even if the PCB refuses to grant him an NOC,” he added.
The PCB has taken stern action against Afridi over his decision to directly blame the Board for his decision to retire from international cricket. Afridi said that he has decided to quit as a protest against PCB’s ill-treatment towards him. The Board decided to hit back by suspending Afridi’s central contract and revoking all the NOCs granted to the player.
The move has all but ended Afridi’s hopes of playing for Hampshire in the English Twenty20 competition.
There were similar fears about his participation in the inaugural SLPL in July-August this year.
Last month, Afridi accepted an offer to lead one of the franchises in the SLPL for a sum of US$35,000 in the inaugural season.
Apart from Afridi, other Pakistani players roped in by the SLPL include national captain Misbah-ul-Haq, retired fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul and Umar Akmal.
The SLPL will span over 18 days, with seven teams featuring in the inter-provincial competition.
Pakistani players aside, the tournament will also see other international stars like West Indies’ Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, Daniel Vettori of New Zealand, former South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs and Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien.