NOC of three Afghanistan cricketers in jeopardy

The drama in the Afghanistan Cricket Board(ACB) has begun with three players whose national contracts will be in jeopardy due to strict action taken by the board. These three players are mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman along with two upcoming Afghani pacemen Naveen Ul Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi. This is one of the most upsetting moments for the country. The three have been one of the surprising underdogs in cricket right now. Afghanistan also made history in the World Cup by beating three top nations England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, finishing 6th on the table. Though they didn’t make it to the playoffs, they still showed a lot of spirit.

Mujeeb, Farooqi and Naveen were also part of this team, which makes it unfortunate for them. They have to stay out of the international scene. Mujeeb was currently one of the best Afghanistan spinners with over 150 international wickets. For the 22-year-old, it seemed like the young spinner was known to deceive a lot of batters and had a lot of cricket left in him. Farooqi was also a young and upcoming pacer for the Afghans known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, he has got more than 50 international wickets as well. Naveen is known to make breakthroughs in the middle with his variations and has had some success as well.

Reasons behind ACB’s strict actions

According to the board, the Afghan trio had told the board that they prefer to be released from their annual central contracts starting from 1st Jan 2024, while asking permission to play franchise tournaments. This not only allowed the board to delay their contract but also did not provide them with an NOC( No Objection Certificate) to play in franchise leagues for the next two years. The board issued a statement as well saying, “The insistence on not signing the central contract for these players was their involvement in commercial leagues, prioritising their interests over playing for Afghanistan, which is regarded as a national responsibility. By opting for their release, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to take disciplinary measures against these players."

This was one of the strictest and bold actions taken by the ACB into disciplining the players and it seems like the players have to take this issue seriously as it could lead to serious consequences. There is no doubt these players are some of the most skilled and talented players for their nation, but if they want to secure their position in international cricket, they have to follow some strict rules as well. Let’s hope they can put their personal interests aside and still give some good performances for their nation like they are doing right now.