On Saturday (October 12), former Pakistan selector Wahab Riaz blamed PCB director Usman Wahla for the confusion around the no-objection certificate (NOC) which was denied to Usama Mir earlier this year.
What had happened?
In May, Mir had been signed by the Worcestershire Rapids for the 2024 edition of the T20 Blast in England but was denied an NOC by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to participate in the tournament despite initial assurances.
The PCB confirmed that Mir had been denied the NOC as he had already played in two franchise leagues during the 2023-24 season. Usama was a centrally contracted player for the 2023-2024 season, meaning he could only play in two franchise T20 leagues other than the PSL between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. These were The Hundred in August 2023, and the Big Bash League in December 2023.
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However, Mir had been pulled out of the Big Bash after just five appearances, to play for Pakistan in a T20I series against New Zealand. Again according to the central contract, all NOCs granted to players are "subject to national duty".
Since he had been pulled out of the BBL by the PCB, he and Worcestershire believed there was a chance he would be granted an NOC for the Blast, but this did not turn out to be the case.
But in August this year, Mir opened up on how the events transpired, saying that he had been told by Pakistan's selectors that there was no objection to him participating in the Blast. He was also told the NOC would come through, and he could travel to England.
However, on the last day of submissions of the NOCs, Mir was told that his request had been declined as he had already obtained two NOCs for the season.
Wahab Riaz: 'At the end of the day, the NOC was not given by Usman Wahla'
Speaking in a chat with Salman Butt and Hafiz Imran, Wahab Riaz, a PCB selector at the time of the incident, provided his version of the story. Wahab said the selection committee had arranged for special permission to be granted to Mir for the Blast, as he had already taken two NOCs. But, according to him the responsibility for the situation rested with Usman Wahla, the PCB's director of international cricket.
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Speaking on Salman Butt's YouTube channel, Riaz said: "He [Usama Mir] kept calling me, kept calling me, and I picked up and asked him what happened. He said, 'Wahab bhai, I have come to England and I have not been given an NOC. I told him, 'Usama, we spoke about this and we have everything in writing to provide you the NOC.' But he kept saying that they were not giving the NOC, and that Usman Wahla was not picking up the phone. So I asked him to phone Salman Naseer (PCB COO), but he told me there was no response from there either.
"So I got in touch with Salman and told him the special permission had been given in writing. I tried calling Usman Wahla, but I just couldn't speak to him over the phone. That entire day, I kept Usama in constant touch with Salman. I even tried approaching the PCB and the chairman. At the end of the day, the NOC was not given by Usman Wahla.
"When the NOC was not given, Usama phoned journalists and put the whole thing on me, saying Wahab Riaz did not give the NOC. And the entire blame fell on me. But it is all on record, in writing, that we did everything to get the NOC. I still have that with me.
"Usama's mistake was that without asking the PCB, he booked his ticket on a flight, and went to his house and stayed, without an NOC. Whose fault is this? This is the player's fault, and the fault of Usman Wahla in the cricket board, who did not give him any response. But I was again an easy target, and maybe Usama was told that Wahab did not give him the NOC.
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"After all this, the chairman asked me, 'In what confidence did you give Usama the NOC?' I told him, 'That is not my department. NOCs are given by the director of international cricket (Wahla).' I had to clear this with the chairman, he had been misinformed that the selection committee granted NOCs. We simply recommend whether to provide them or not.
"Now if you are the director of international cricket, and you do not pick up the phone, and do not speak to the players, and for four-five days, a week, ten days you do not respond to them, then that is not my fault. As a selector, I can only recommend who should get the NOC, and I did my job."
Usman Wahla: 'We reject all allegations made in this one sided talk'
After the video of Wahab's version was posted online, Wahla took to social media to refute the allegations, saying the matter had already been discussed with Mir. However, Wahab responded to this statement as well, claiming that "there is a lot to say" and that he would be willing to share proof of the events as well.
At the time of writing, Wahab has yet to come forward with any screenshots or emails detailing Wahla's role in the denial of the NOC.
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