BCB to seek government clearance for players' PSL participation

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has stated that the participation of Bangladeshi cricketers in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be subject to government clearance, citing regional tensions and security concerns.

Six players had earlier been granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) by the BCB after being picked by PSL franchises:

• Mustafizur Rahman (Lahore Qalandars)
• Parvez Hossain Emon (Lahore Qalandars)
• Shoriful Islam (Peshawar Zalmi)
• Nahid Rana (Peshawar Zalmi)
• Tanzid Hasan Tamim (Peshawar Zalmi)
• Rishad Hossain (Peshawar Zalmi)

The tournament is scheduled from March 26 to May 3.

BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin said, "We will seek permission from the government before sending our cricketers for the PSL. Under normal circumstances, these things are not required. But since the situation is not normal and there is a risk element concerning the players, obviously we will discuss it with the government."

He added, "We will seek to know from the government whether it will be safe to travel or not, and based on that government decision, we will have to take the ultimate call on whether the players will go or not."

Impact on New Zealand Series:
Should the players receive government clearance, they will miss the preparatory camp for the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand. New Zealand are scheduled to arrive on April 13 for three ODIs and three T20Is.

NOC Details & Availability:
The BCB has issued partial NOCs to prioritize player availability for the ODI series, as Bangladesh remains in contention for qualification for the next ICC ODI World Cup.

• Mustafizur Rahman: NOC from March 26 to April 12, and again from April 24 to May 3. Available for ODIs, will miss T20Is.
• Tanzid Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Rishad Hossain: NOCs until April 12. Available for both ODI and T20I series.
• Parvez Hossain Emon: NOC until April 21. Available for T20Is only.

Context:
Bangladesh recently climbed to ninth in the ICC ODI rankings after a 2-1 series win over Pakistan. A strong performance against New Zealand could help close the gap with eighth-placed England.