The Trio will not get a franchise league NOC for two years, the board’s statement said, while their national contracts are delayed
ESPNcricinfo Staff
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has sanctioned Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen Ul Haq for “prioritizing their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan”, a board statement said on Monday. The board therefore delayed the 2024 annual central contracts and also announced no NOCs (no objection certificates) for the trio for the next two years, including revoking any NOCs they currently hold.
According to the ACB statement, the trio recently told the board of their desire to be released from annual central contracts starting on January 1, 2024, while also seeking consent to play in franchise tournaments.
“The insistence not to sign the central contract for these players was their involvement in commercial leagues, prioritizing their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan, which is considered a national responsibility,” the board’s statement added. “By opting to release them, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to take disciplinary action against these players.”
The sanctions come after the board appointed a committee to “thoroughly investigate the matter and develop appropriate recommendations that best serve the interests of the ACB.”
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s decision is taken with an emphasis on national priorities, aligned with ACB’s core values ββand principles,” the statement further said. “It underlines the need for every player to uphold the principles of the ACB and prioritize the country’s interests over their own.”
Mujeeb was recently picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL auction for USD 241,000. He is currently in the Australian BBL with the Melbourne Renegades. Naveen, who is with Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, also retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad, recently featured in the Abu Dhabi T10 competition. All three also featured for Afghanistan in the sixth ODI World Cup.