Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi, centre, chats with Pakistan’s Babar Azam, left, as head coach Mike Hesson looks on (Photo: AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) Pakistan cricketers will prioritize their national duties in the upcoming T20 series against Sri Lanka in January over their Big Bash League commitments.According to a report by Pakistani media outlet Geo Super, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued conditional No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to national players in overseas leagues, requiring them to prioritize national duties.Several prominent Pakistani players received NOCs for the Big Bash League from 14 December to 28 January. The list includes Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali.The 15th season of the BBL will run from 14 December 2025 to 25 January 2026. The tournament will feature 44 matches in the main early evening time blocks.Babar Azam is scheduled to make his first BBL appearance with Sydney Sixers in the opening match against Perth Scorchers at Perth Stadium.Other Pakistani players have secured positions in various BBL teams. Brisbane Heat signed Shaheen Afridi, Melbourne Renegades signed Rizwan, Melbourne Stars Rauf, Sydney Thunder picked Shadab Khan, Adelaide Strikers drafted Hasan Ali and Hassan Khan joined Renegades.The Pakistan T20 team will tour Sri Lanka this term for three matches scheduled on January 7, 9 and 11 in Dambulla.The series will help Pakistan prepare for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India from February 7 to March 8.Sources say that the players selected for the national team have to choose to tour Sri Lanka before participating in the BBL. Regular members of the T20 squad are unlikely to get exemptions from the series.After the Sri Lanka series, Australia will visit Pakistan in late January for three T20 internationals.Additionally, NOCs valid till January 4 were issued to Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah and Hasan Nawaz for their participation in the IL T20 league.
