CA boss addresses Pakistan BBL ban

Cricket Australia remains hopeful it can find a resolution with the Pakistan Cricket Board after it banned its players from competing in overseas Twenty20 tournaments.

PCB chief operating officer Sumair Ahmad Syed issued players a notice on September 29, restricting them from competitions outside Pakistan.

It’s is a major blow to Cricket Australia and its Big Bash League clubs after Pakistani talent was the highlight of a successful draft.

Top-liners Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Brisbane Heat) and Muhammad Rizwan (Melbourne Renegades) were all locked in for the upcoming season.

Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg is in contact with the PCB and remains confident the headline acts will feature this summer.

“We’ve been in contact with our colleagues at the PCB over the last few days, we’re hopeful we can find a resolution,” Greenberg said.

“We’re really looking forward to welcoming their players to the Big Bash, we think they’ll add great value … it will be a fascinating summer across the BBL, yeah.”

The BBL, and more specifically Sydney Thunder, received a boost when Indian megastar Ravichandran Ashwin signed last week.

Greenberg denies any integral issues with Ashwin’s arrival post draft and expects him to be a major drawcard.

In a notification issued on September 29, PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed informed players and their representatives of the decision.

“With the approval of Chairman PCB, all No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players with respect to participation in leagues and other out-of-country tournaments are hereby put on hold until further orders.”

The board has not provided an official reason for the suspension.

The decision, however, came just a day after Pakistan’s narrow defeat to India in the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 28.

It remains unclear whether any exemptions will be made or how long the suspension will remain in place.