Mohammad Hafeez: The central contract was given on the basis that all players will be available for all formats if we need them

The PCB has emphasized that Pakistan, not T20 franchise leagues, should be the top goal for all Pakistani players while on the eve of the squad’s departure for Australia, team director Mohammad Hafeez made it very clear but it was especially relevant in light of Haris Rauf’s possible delayed trip there to play in the Big Bash League (BBL).

The PCB has emphasized that Pakistan, not T20 franchise leagues, should be the top goal for all Pakistani players. On the eve of the squad’s departure for Australia, team director Mohammad Hafeez made it very clear but it was especially relevant in light of Haris Rauf’s possible delayed trip there to play in the Big Bash League (BBL).

Due to a shift in team management and the adoption of new priorities, Rauf has found himself caught in the crossfire. After initially receiving criticism from Wahab Riaz, the new chief selector, for declining Australia’s selection to the Test squad, Rauf is currently facing a delay to the start of his career with Melbourne Stars as he awaits an NOC.

The PCB officially states that this is because domestic commitments must take priority; and Rauf is playing for Islamabad in the National T20 Cup, which runs through December 10.

In a Lahore press conference, Hafeez reaffirmed his position that Pakistan should come first and unveiled a new policy aimed at discouraging young cricket players from participating in T20 cricket too early in their careers.

Rauf has appeared in just one Test and nine first-class matches during his career and is primarily considered a white-ball specialist for Pakistan. 

In the one Test he did play, against England in Rawalpindi last year, he bowled 13 overs in the first innings and none at all in the second. He was left out of the side for their last Test assignment, which took place in July in Sri Lanka.

Wahab, however, informed him that he would be chosen for Australia, an opportunity he declined. Hafeez claimed that although the exact account of events is up for debate, Rauf committed Wahab before breaking it.

“Haris Rauf went to the chief selector [Wahab Riaz] one evening and I think committed to Test cricket,”

Hafeez said.

“Then for some reason, he didn’t want to play. When we saw reports from the physio, Haris had no issues stopping him from playing Test cricket. So the thinking that someone doesn’t want to play Tests, or is being forced to, is wrong.

“If an individual thinks he doesn’t want to play red-ball cricket that is an individual act. The central contract was given on the basis that all players will be available for all formats if we need them. In the Haris Rauf case, he has shown unavailability for red-ball cricket, so with central contracts any decision will be taken keeping Pakistan’s FTP commitments in mind and that is how it will be decided who we give what contracts to in what category.”

At first, Hafeez seemed to imply that a new NOC policy would be on the way, but he later clarified that it would adhere to the terms of the current central contracts. 

Furthermore, his statement may not be at odds with the NOC rules as they currently exist in the central contracts. These allow players to participate in up to two leagues annually outside of the PSL. 

Earlier this year, it was a major bargaining point between the players and the board. However, the agreement makes it very clear that a national team coach, selectors, and PCB departments, in addition to domestic coaches, must all approve the NOC. Hafeez’s remarks essentially stiffen the clearances that eac NOC will require.

He emphasized that after accepting a central contract offer, a cricket player was presumed to be available for Pakistan throughout the year, across all formats.

“First of all, the priority is Pakistan’s representation. After that comes everything else. All centrally contracted and domestic contracted players, for all of them the priority is Pakistan.

“What I understand is that when you are offered a central contract for Pakistan, there is a strong reason you’ve been offered it. The point of offering it to the 20-25 players, with Pakistan’s FTP commitments in three formats in mind, is to play them, is that they are available for it.

“Now there is a parallel option in the shape of leagues. Unfortunately, we experienced this in the Asia Cup and World Cup, there was talk of fatigue, or players were getting injured because their workloads were too much, or not performing as they should [because of leagues].”

In a sign that it might not be easy for players like Rauf and others to get NOCs for the various leagues this winter, Hafeez said that managing workloads will be crucial in light of the T20 World Cup next year. Before the PSL in January, Pakistan is scheduled to play T20Is in New Zealand in addition to the Tests in Australia.

“Moving towards the T20 World Cup, the NOC policy will be based on what Pakistan needs. If Pakistan needs fit players, we need to make sure of their workloads. The maximum energy and availability has to be to Pakistan. If there is an opportunity around that, that they can play [in leagues], that will be considered.

“This season the central contracts have been given and it will run according to that. That is not going to change. But the reason for giving that central contract is that they are available for the FTP. Anything that will be done on NOCs will be according to Pakistan’s priorities. It won’t be that anyone will be stopped from playing in leagues but if Pakistan is the priority, then with NOCs it can’t be that Pakistan is the second priority and leagues first.”

Hafeez said that he wanted Under-19 players to focus on the “basics” of their game, which is why he had prohibited them from participating in the National T20 Cup and would do the same in the PSL.

“We will create opportunities to play two- or three-day games for them so that the basics of their game become more solid. That is why they were stopped from playing the National T20. And we will do that in the PSL as well.

“The U-19 player will have to learn the basics and when he becomes mature mentally and physically and by tactics, then he should play T20 cricket. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, a 16-year-old plays and practices for four overs. He doesn’t think he needs to play 20-25 overs. We brought this change. We need to push U-19 cricket towards red-ball cricket. One clause we added was that if any U-19 player wants to play T20 cricket, he should have played 10 first-class matches or non-first-class matches so that he has the basics of the game.”