The Pakistan Cricket Board will not allow Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan to compete in the Global T20, which starts next week in Canada.
The decision was made in order to limit the demands of their playing schedule. Naseem Shah had also been denied the opportunity to play in The Hundred.
Azam, Afridi and Rizwan are three of Pakistan’s leading all-format players.
Shaheen Afridi is one of the players who won’t be able to play in the Global T20 (Associated Press)
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) explained in a statement: “After taking into consideration Pakistan’s busy and packed cricket calendar … and following consultations with the three players as well as the national selection committee, it has been decided to decline their requests.
“The three are all-format cricketers and their services are expected to be required in the upcoming eight months during which Pakistan will play nine tests, 14 ODIs, and nine T20Is.
“As such, and in line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming event in Canada so that they are in their best mental and physical shape for the season.”
Next month Pakistan will begin a series of two Tests in Bangladesh.
Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Nawaz, who are largely limited-overs players, have been allowed to enter the Global T20.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi plays a shot against Ireland (Associated Press)
Stokes to play in The Hundred
Ben Stokes will play in this year’s edition of The Hundred after the conclusion of England’s Test series against West Indies.
The England Men’s Test captain missed last year’s competition but will be available for four games for Andrew Flintoff’s Northern Superchargers team this season.
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith will also be available immediately after the end of the third Test match at Edgbaston, scheduled to start on July 26 , live on Sky Sports.