Azam Khan to miss out on Lanka Premier League

KARACHI: Pakistani wicketkeeping batter Azam Khan will miss Lanka Premier League (LPL) following Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) strict No Objection Certificates (NOCs) policy.

Sources said that Khan, son former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, has decided to withdraw from the LPL after PCB introduced a new policy of issuing NOCs to players for participation in only two foreign leagues per year.

According to sources, the stringent policy has led Pakistan players including Azam Khan to prioritise leagues offering higher-quality cricket.

It is pertinent to mention that the wicketkeeping batter was selected by Lanka Premier League franchise Kandy.

Following his decision to withdraw from the league, Azam Khan now plans to participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the International League T20 (ILT20) and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Meanwhile, sources said that the batter has not yet applied for an NOC to play in the CPL set to begin on August 28.

He is expected to submit his application for the NOC to the PCB in the coming week.

It is pertinent to mention that several had questioned Khan’s inclusion in the Men in Green squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 after he failed to make his mark in England and Ireland T20 series before the marquee event.

He was benched after playing Pakistan’s opening game in the T20 World Cup 2024 against the United States of America, in which was dismissed for a duck.

Khan has represented Pakistan in 14 games in T20Is. Out of the 13 innings he played; the batter has been dismissed on a duck on four occasions.

His fitness remains a key point of discussion as several including former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez slammed him for not working on his fitness.

Recalling his experience with Azam Khan, the former Pakistan team director said that Khan was given a 6-week programme to improve his fitness during his stint as the team director.

“He appeared without any progress in body weight or body fat levels. His running ability was also significantly behind the rest of the team. While the rest of the team could run 2km in 10 minutes, Azam took 20 minutes,” he said.