Pakistan legspinner Usama Mir’s participation in the upcoming T20 Blast has been abruptly cancelled after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) denied him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC). This unexpected turn of events leaves Worcestershire Rapids scrambling for a replacement, while Mir’s hopes for further overseas T20 action this season are dashed.
Why PCB denied NOC to Usama Mir?
Usama Mir, who was expected to be a key player for Worcestershire throughout the Blast, had his application for an NOC rejected by the PCB. The reason? His recently signed three-year central contract with the PCB restricts him to playing in two franchise T20 leagues outside of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) per season.
Although Mir missed out on Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad and was seemingly available for the Blast, the PCB considers his participation in the Hundred and the Big Bash League (BBL) earlier this season as fulfilling his quota.
The fact that his Hundred appearance was backdated to coincide with the beginning of his central contract further complicates matters.
Usama Mir short BBL stint ignored
While Usama Mir’s BBL stint was cut short due to a national call-up, the PCB maintains their policy of “PSL + 2” is non-negotiable. This leaves Mir and Worcestershire disappointed, as they believed his limited involvement in the BBL might have swayed the PCB’s decision.
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Worcestershire look to Walsh to fill void
With Mir out of the picture, Worcestershire have secured the services of West Indies legspinner Hayden Walsh as his replacement. Walsh, who is named among West Indies’ T20 World Cup reserves, comes highly recommended by former Worcestershire player Jason Holder.
“Hayden is a versatile and talented cricketer whose skills will be a great asset to our squad,” said Ashley Giles, Worcestershire’s CEO. “We are confident that Hayden will fit in seamlessly and make a valuable contribution to our campaign.”
Walsh himself expressed his excitement about joining Worcestershire, stating, “Both Jason and Alzarri [Joseph] have said a lot of good things about the club and the group of players, and I look forward to contributing to the team’s success.”
Focus shifts to Worcestershire blast campaign
While Mir’s absence is a setback, Worcestershire can now focus on their upcoming Blast campaign opener against Yorkshire on Thursday night. With both Josh Cobb and Tom Taylor potentially making their debuts, the team looks to build a strong showing despite the late change in their spin bowling plans.
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