A PCB NOC fee of $10,000 a player could keep 16 Pakistanis out of the Abu Dhabi T10. Smaller leagues say they cannot pay twice.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked for a NOC fee of $10,000 for each Pakistani player picked for the Abu Dhabi T10, according to reports citing ESPNcricinfo and PTI. The league starts on 7 November. As of Thursday, 16 Pakistani players drafted by five franchises still did not have their no-objection certificates (NOCs), and teams have started looking for replacements. The PCB NOC fee turns a cricket dispute into a question about who pays for Pakistani talent abroad, and how much players can earn outside the PSL.

The short version

• The PCB wants $10,000 per player NOC from the Abu Dhabi T10 or its franchises, reports say.
• 16 Pakistani players were picked; they include Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir and Fakhar Zaman.
• The Nepal Premier League was reportedly asked for $25,000 a player, and only two Pakistanis played.
• The PCB links the policy to reciprocal player access with the PSL.

What happened

Sixteen Pakistani cricketers were chosen by five of the six Abu Dhabi T10 franchises at the 30 September draft, ARY News and The Sporting News reported. The league’s management applied for their NOCs soon afterwards. The $10,000 PCB NOC fee was only communicated to franchises in early November. A franchise official told PTI the demand came “very late” and called it “very unprofessional”. The tournament runs from 7 to 20 November at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Reports say some players are considering paying the fee themselves out of their tournament earnings if franchise owners refuse. Mediation has been attempted but nothing has been settled. A PCB source said the fee reflects growing demand for Pakistani cricketers in franchise leagues, and a PCB official said the rationale for the policy “remains unchanged”.

The T10 fee is lower than what other leagues were reportedly asked

PCB NOC fee per Pakistani player, US dollars, as reported in November 2026

Nepal Premier League

$25,000

Major League Cricket and ILT20 (reported)

$25,000

Abu Dhabi T10

$10,000

Why it matters

For 16 players, the PCB NOC fee adds up to $160,000, a Knock-On calculation. That is a real cost for a short ten-over tournament. Players say smaller leagues are their “lifeline to earn more”, and one told PTI such leagues “can’t afford to pay the PCB NOC fees and also our fees”. The Nepal case shows the risk: about 8–10 Pakistanis were signed, but only Hussain Talat and Jahandad Khan played. Some travelled at their own expense and came home without playing.

The knock-on effects

First order: lost fees for Pakistani players

Players who miss the T10 lose their match fees. Those who pay the PCB NOC fee themselves keep the contract but earn less from it.

Second order: leagues may pick fewer Pakistanis

If each Pakistani player carries an extra charge, franchises in smaller leagues may draft players from other countries instead. That narrows a source of foreign earnings for Pakistan’s second-tier players.

Third order: leverage for the PSL

The PCB ties the policy to reciprocal player access for the PSL. With PSL 12 franchises already signing players for a season starting 18 March, the board is using NOCs as a bargaining tool. It follows the commercial pull seen in 8.4 million requests for India vs Pakistan World Cup tickets.

Who could benefit

• The PCB: new fee income and a stronger hand in PSL player deals.
• Replacement players: cricketers from other countries may get late call-ups.
• The national side: fewer overseas games may ease workloads before Pakistan host Sri Lanka in two Tests from 9 November.

Who may face pressure

• Domestic and fringe players: smaller leagues are a key extra income.
• T10 franchises: five teams must rebuild squads days before the first game.
• Broadcasters and sponsors: fewer star names can mean smaller audiences.

What to watch

• Whether the fee is paid or waived before the Abu Dhabi T10 opens on 7 November.
• Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test series, from 9 November.
• NOC talks with the ILT20 and Major League Cricket ahead of their seasons.

Sources

• ARY News, Pakistan players unlikely to participate in Abu Dhabi T10: report, 5 November 2026
• Outlook India, Pakistan Players Out Of Abu Dhabi T10 League? PCB’s USD 10,000 NOC Demand Sparks Chaos, 5 November 2026
• The Sporting News via Yahoo Sports, Will Pakistan players feature in Abu Dhabi T10 league? Latest update on PCB’s NOC policy, 5 November 2026
• ThePrint (PTI), PCB in talks with NZC to squeeze in white-ball series during Test tour next year, 5 November 2026

This is analysis, not investment advice. Figures are as of 5 November 2026.