Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that three players have been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24.
Star fast bowler Haris Rauf has been allowed to join the Australian franchise league, commencing on December 7 with two more players, Zaman Khan and leg-spinner Usama Mir.
The PCB justified this move by considering the workload of players and the national men's team's future tour schedule.
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What did the PCB say?
PCB released a statement that read: "The Pakistan Cricket Board has issued no-objection certificates (NOC) to fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and leg-spinner Usama Mir for the Big Bash League 2023-24. The board has issued the NOCs considering the workload of players and the future tours programme of the national men's team.
The PCB understands that this decision is in the best interests of all the stakeholders involved while balancing the importance of game time with workload management.
Haris and Usama have been granted NOCs for a total of five matches whereas Zaman has been granted NOC for four matches. All these games are set to take place from 7 to 28 December."
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Which teams will Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Usama Mir play for?
Rauf and Mir will likely play five games for Melbourne Stars, whereas, Zaman might play four for Sydney Thunder.
However, Rauf has excused himself for the upcoming Test series in Australia, which has not gone down well with PCB.
Chief selector Wahab Riaz expressed his dissatisfaction with Rauf's absence from the Test series as the management wanted to utilize Rauf as an impact player in Test cricket.
"We spoke to the captain and coach, and they wanted to utilize Haris Rauf as an impact player in Test cricket. We weren't demanding more than 10-12 overs a day from him, which he has done in ODIs,” Riaz was quoted as saying in a press conference.
“Our frontline Test bowling options that bowl 140+ and can create an impact are unfit, all 3 of them. As a player when you're centrally contracted, I think you need to sacrifice in such a situation and look to play for Pakistan rather than moving back," he had added.
When does the Big Bash start?
This year's Big Bash season will begin on Thursday, December 7th with a clash between the Heat and Stars.
The tournament will run through the summer and conclude with the final on January 24th.
Big Bash 2023/24 full schedule and results
| Date/Time (AEDT) | Match/Result | Venue |
| Thu. 7th December (7.15pm) | Heat vs Stars | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| Fri. 8th December (7.15pm) | Sixers vs Renegades | SCG, Sydney |
| Sat. 9th December (7.15pm) | Strikers vs Heat | Adelaide Oval |
| Sun. 10th December (7.15pm) | Renegades vs Scorchers | GMHBA Stadium, Geelong |
| Mon. 11th December (7.15pm) | Hurricanes vs Sixers | UTAS Stadium, Launceston |
| Tue. 12th December (7.15pm) | Thunder vs Heat | Manuka Oval, Canberra |
| Wed. 13th December (7.15pm) | Stars vs Scorchers | MCG, Melbourne |
| Tue. 19th December (7.15pm) | Strikers vs Thunder | Adelaide Oval |
| Wed. 20th December (7.15pm) | Scorchers vs Hurricanes | Optus Stadium, Perth |
| Thu. 21st December (7.15pm) | Renegades vs Heat | Marvel Stadium, Melbourne |
| Fri. 22nd December (7.15pm) | Sixers vs Strikers | SCG, Sydney |
| Sat. 23rd December (3.30pm) | Stars vs Thunder | Lavington Sports Ground, Albury |
| Sat. 23rd December (7.15pm) | Hurricanes vs Renegades | Blundstone Arena, Hobart |
| Tue. 26th December (6.05pm) | Sixers vs Stars | SCG, Sydney |
| Tue. 26th December (9.15pm) | Scorchers vs Renegades | Optus Stadium, Perth |
| Wed. 27th December (7.15pm) | Heat vs Thunder | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| Thu. 28th December (7.15pm) | Hurricanes vs Stars | Blundstone Arena, Hobart |
| Fri. 29th December (7.15pm) | Renegades vs Strikers | Marvel Stadium, Melbourne |
| Sat. 30th December (7.15pm) | Thunder vs Sixers | GIANTS Stadium, Homebush |
| Sun. 31st December (7.15pm) | Strikers vs Stars | Adelaide Oval |
| Mon. 1st January (4.00pm) | Hurricanes vs Thunder | Blundstone Arena, Hobart |
| Mon. 1st January (7.15pm) | Heat vs Sixers | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| Tue. 2nd January (7.15pm) | Stars vs Renegades | MCG, Melbourne |
| Wed. 3rd January (6.05pm) | Sixers vs Heat | C.ex Stadium, Coffs Harbour |
| Wed. 3rd January (9.15pm) | Scorchers vs Strikers | Optus Stadium, Perth |
| Thu. 4th January (7.15pm) | Renegades vs Hurricanes | Marvel Stadium, Melbourne |
| Fri. 5th January (7.15pm) | Strikers vs Scorchers | Adelaide Oval |
| Sat. 6th January (7.15pm) | Stars vs Sixers | MCG, Melbourne |
| Sun. 7th January (7.15pm) | Heat vs Hurricanes | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| Mon. 8th January (7.15pm) | Thunder vs Scorchers | GIANTS Stadium, Homebush |
| Tue. 9th January (7.40pm) | Strikers vs Hurricanes | Adelaide OVal |
| Wed.10th January (7.40pm) | Heat vs Scorchers | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| Thu. 11th January (7.15pm) | Hurricanes vs Strikers | Blundstone Arena, Hobart |
| Fri. 12th January (7.15pm) | Sixers vs Thunder | SCG, Sydney |
| Sat. 13th January (4.15pm) | Scorchers vs Heat | Optus Stadium, Perth |
| Sat. 13th January (7.30pm) | Renegades vs Stars | Marvel Stadium, Melbourne |
| Sun. 14th January (7.15pm) | Thunder vs Strikers | Manuka Oval, Canberra |
| Mon. 15th January (7.15pm) | Stars vs Hurricanes | MCG, Melbourne |
| Tue. 16th January (7.40pm) | Scorchers vs Sixers | Optus Stadium, Perth |
| Wed. 17th January (7.15pm) | Thunder vs Renegades | GIANTS Stadium, Homebush |
| Fri. 19th January (7.15pm) | TBA vs TBA (Playoff) | TBA |
| Sat. 20th January (3.00pm) | TBA vs TBA (Playoff) | TBA |
| Mon. 22nd January (7.15pm) | TBA vs TBA (Playoff) | TBA |
| Wed. 24th January (7.15pm) | TBA vs TBA (FINAL) | TBA |
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