NPL News
Pakistan players in doubt for Nepal Premier League
Only one of the seven Pakistani players signed by three NPL franchises has played in Season 3. The PCB has not issued their no-objection certificates, and with the league past its halfway point, the franchises are running out of time.
Seven players, three franchises
Seven Pakistani players were signed by three of the eight Nepal Premier League franchises for Season 3. Karnali Yaks signed Sahibzada Farhan and Hussain Talat. Janakpur Bolts signed Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah. Chitwan Rhinos signed Usama Mir, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz.
None of the seven has a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) — the clearance a Pakistani player needs to play in an overseas league. Without it, they cannot take the field.
Only Talat has played
Of the seven, only Hussain Talat has played a match in Season 3. He turned out for Karnali Yaks against Janakpur Bolts on Tuesday. The other six have not played at all.
Karnali has already sent Sahibzada Farhan — Pakistan’s T20 captain — back home. Janakpur Bolts chief executive Niroj Khatiwada has said Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah will not play for Janakpur at all this season.
Chitwan Rhinos’ three signings — Usama Mir, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz — have also not played.
The $25,000 question
The hold-up is a fee. The PCB is reported to have demanded an additional US$25,000 per player for the NOCs, according to reports in OnlineKhabar and the Kathmandu Post. The PCB has not publicly confirmed that demand.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) says it received an email from the PCB seeking an additional fee. CAN secretary Paras Khadka said the association has contacted the PCB’s International Cricket Operations Department about the matter and is coordinating with the Pakistani Embassy in Kathmandu.
The PCB’s NOC Guide, which has been in place since 2020, does not mention a $25,000 clause, according to the Kathmandu Post. Around 40 players had been granted NOCs for different leagues by 8 August 2026.
What CAN is doing
CAN president Chatur Bahadur Chand told OnlineKhabar on 27 October that the PCB had not responded on the NOCs. “If someone does not give an NOC, we cannot force them to play,” he said.
CAN is reported to be preparing to raise the issue with the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to a CREX report on 30 October attributed to Rhinos Army. That has not been confirmed by a public CAN statement or an ICC filing, so it remains unconfirmed.
What happens next
The league continues without them. Season 3 runs from 26 October to 21 November 2026 at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, and the playoffs begin on 17 November. Janakpur’s position — that Iftikhar and Hunain will not play at all — means at least two of the seven are already out for the season.
For the rest, the NOCs remain unresolved. Unless the PCB issues them, or CAN reaches an agreement with the board, the Pakistani players signed for Season 3 will finish the tournament without playing — and the franchises that signed them will have to finish the season with the squads they have.
Frequently asked questions
Which Pakistani players were signed for NPL Season 3?
Seven: Sahibzada Farhan and Hussain Talat (Karnali Yaks), Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah (Janakpur Bolts), and Usama Mir, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz (Chitwan Rhinos).
Why have they not played?
They do not have no-objection certificates from the PCB. The PCB is reported to have asked for an additional US$25,000 per player for the NOCs — a demand the board has not publicly confirmed.
Has any Pakistani player played in Season 3?
Yes — only Hussain Talat, for Karnali Yaks against Janakpur Bolts. The other six have not played.
Will they play in the playoffs?
That is not confirmed. Janakpur has said Iftikhar Ahmed and Hunain Shah will not play at all this season. For the others, it depends on whether the PCB issues the NOCs before the playoffs begin on 17 November.
Last updated: 13 November 2026