The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recently come under scrutiny for denying a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to leg-spinner Usama Mir, preventing him from participating in the 2024 T20 Blast in England.
While Mir had initially been assured of receiving the NOC, the decision to withhold it sparked controversy, with PCB selector Wahab Riaz blaming Usman Wahla, the PCB's director of international cricket, for the situation. However, Wahla has strongly refuted these allegations.
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What led to Usama Mir's NOC being denied?
Usama Mir was poised to join Worcestershire Rapids for the 2024 edition of the T20 Blast after securing a contract earlier in the year. However, despite initial assurances from the PCB, Mir’s request for an NOC was denied.
According to the PCB, Mir had already participated in two franchise leagues during the 2023-24 season, specifically The Hundred in August and the Big Bash League (BBL) in December, and his central contract only permitted him to play in two such leagues.
Mir's situation became complicated when he was pulled out of the BBL after just five appearances to fulfill national duties in a T20I series against New Zealand.
Both Mir and Worcestershire believed this could potentially allow him another NOC to participate in the Blast, but the PCB remained firm on their initial decision, citing contract limitations.
What did Wahab Riaz claim about the NOC denial?
Speaking in an interview with Salman Butt and Hafiz Imran, Wahab Riaz, who was part of the PCB selection committee at the time, shared his side of the story.
According to Wahab, the selection committee had secured special permission for Mir to participate in the Blast despite him having played in two other franchise leagues. However, he claimed the decision ultimately rested with Usman Wahla, who failed to grant the NOC.
Wahab detailed his communication with Usama Mir, explaining how Mir had repeatedly contacted him from England, informing him that he hadn't received the NOC. Despite Wahab’s efforts to facilitate a solution by reaching out to the PCB COO and the chairman, the NOC was still withheld.
Wahab asserted that the matter was out of his hands, as NOCs are issued by the director of international cricket, in this case, Usman Wahla.
Wahab’s take on NOC issue if USAMA MIR and Usman Wahla not picking up phones pic.twitter.com/sEWv3AfbMr
— Hass (@GokboruWolf) October 11, 2024
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How did Usman Wahla respond to the allegations?
After Wahab Riaz’s version of events went public, Usman Wahla took to social media to categorically reject the claims, labeling them as one-sided. He stated that the matter had been discussed directly with Usama Mir and that Wahab’s portrayal of the events was misleading.
Wahla firmly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the process for granting or denying NOCs followed standard protocols.
Despite Wahla’s rebuttal, Wahab Riaz has continued to maintain his stance, indicating that he possesses written proof of the efforts made to secure the NOC for Mir.
Really ??? The screenshots , the emails would not lie will tell the exact story as it was . Do I really have to proceed with records . There is a lot to say but right now I only answered what was questioned to me .
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) October 12, 2024
If someone wants to deny I will give share the proofs .
However, at the time of writing, Wahab has yet to provide any concrete evidence or documentation to support his claims.
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