Pakistan Players Granted NOCs for Abu Dhabi T10 After PCB Reaches Agreement

Key points

1. The Pakistan Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi T10 organisers have reached an agreement over No-Objection Certificates for Pakistan players, according to reports citing sources.
2. The agreement reportedly involves compensation and facilities worth up to USD 200,000 for the PCB.
3. The development clears the way for Pakistani cricketers selected in the Abu Dhabi T10 to take part in the tournament starting November 7, 2026.
4. Sixteen Pakistan players were selected by five of the six franchises in the draft held on September 30.
5. The selected players include Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf and Abbas Afridi.
6. The PCB had reportedly sought USD 10,000 per NOC shortly before the tournament, creating uncertainty over player availability.
7. The 10th edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 is scheduled to run from November 7 to 20, 2026.

Pakistan cricketers have been cleared to feature in the Abu Dhabi T10 after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the tournament organisers reached an agreement over the issuance of No-Objection Certificates (NOCs). The development removes a major uncertainty for the players and franchises ahead of the 10th edition, which is scheduled to begin on November 7, 2026.

Reports from ESPNcricinfo and Pakistani media said the agreement would see the league organisers provide compensation and facilities worth up to USD 200,000 to the PCB in exchange for the NOCs. The arrangement followed days of uncertainty after the board reportedly sought a fee for each certificate shortly before the competition.

Agreement clears last-minute hurdle

The NOC issue had put the participation of 16 Pakistan players in doubt. The players had been selected by five of the six participating franchises during the draft in Abu Dhabi on September 30. With the tournament only days away, teams were facing the possibility of making late changes to their squads if the required clearances were not issued.

Earlier reports said the PCB had sought USD 10,000 for each NOC. The late communication of the demand reportedly left franchises weighing whether to meet the financial condition or look for replacements. Some players were also said to be willing to contribute towards the fee themselves if their teams did not cover it.

The subsequent agreement between the board and the league organisers has now paved the way for the selected Pakistan players to participate. The reported compensation and facilities package is worth up to USD 200,000. The details have been attributed to sources in media reports; neither a full public agreement nor an individual NOC list was included in the reports available at the time of writing.

Sixteen Pakistan players across five teams

UAE Bulls have the largest group of Pakistan selections, with Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Khawaja Nafay, Khushdil Shah, Azam Khan and Mohammad Wasim Jr. United Tigers have five players: Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Sufyan Moqeem and Abbas Afridi.

Emirates Eagles selected Hasan Nawaz, Akif Javed and Ali Raza. Naseem Shah is part of Royal Desert Champions, while Salman Irshad was selected by Arabian Aces. The distribution means five of the six teams have Pakistan players in their draft selections.

The group includes established international names as well as players who have featured in Pakistan’s domestic and franchise competitions. Their availability gives the teams the opportunity to retain the combinations assembled during the September draft rather than make emergency replacements close to the opening day.

Tournament begins on November 7

The 10th edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 is scheduled to run from November 7 to 20 and will feature six teams: UAE Bulls, Yas Lions, Royal Desert Champions, Emirates Eagles, United Tigers and Arabian Aces. The tournament is the first edition since an ownership change, according to earlier coverage of the competition.

The timing of the NOC agreement is significant because franchises had limited time to finalise travel and playing plans. The clearance also brings an end, at least for this tournament, to a dispute that had threatened to keep a sizeable group of Pakistan players out of an overseas league.

A wider question around overseas NOCs

The episode has again drawn attention to the PCB’s approach to releasing players for overseas franchise competitions. Reports noted that a similar issue had emerged around Pakistan players selected for the Nepal Premier League, where a separate NOC fee was reportedly sought. The latest Abu Dhabi arrangement appears to have been reached through a negotiated package between the board and tournament organisers.

For the Abu Dhabi T10 teams, the immediate focus can now shift back to cricket. The agreement is reported to have cleared the way for all 16 selected Pakistan players, although final team sheets and any individual changes will provide the definitive confirmation of who takes the field. The tournament starts on November 7, with the Pakistan contingent expected to be part of the competition following the resolution.