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Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Naveen Ul Haq
have been sanctioned by the Afghanistan Cricket Board for “prioritising
their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan,” according to a
board statement released on Monday. As a result, the board postponed their
yearly central contracts for 2024 and declared that the three would not receive
any NOCs (no-objection certificates) for the following two years, rescinding
any that they may have already had.
The trio recently requested permission to participate
in franchise competitions and to be released from their yearly central
contracts beginning January 1, 2024, according to an ACB statement.
“The insistence on not signing the central
contract for these players was their involvement in commercial leagues,
prioritising their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan, which is
regarded as a national responsibility,” the board statement added.
“By opting for their release, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has decided to
take disciplinary measures against these players.”
The sanctions come after the board assigned a
committee to “thoroughly investigate the matter and develop appropriate
recommendations that best serve the ACB’s interests.”
“The decision by the Afghanistan Cricket Board is
made with a focus on national priorities, aligned with the ACB’s core values
and principles,” the statement further said. “It highlights the
necessity for every player to maintain the ACB’s principles and prioritise the
country’s interests above their personal ones.”
Kolkata Knight Riders paid USD 241,000 to acquire
Mujeeb at the IPL auction. He is presently playing for Melbourne Renegades in
the Australian BBL. Recently, Naveen, who plays for the Lucknow Super Giants in
the Indian Premier League, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who is also a Sunrisers
Hyderabad player, competed in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament. All three played
for Afghanistan during their ODI World Cup run, which ended in sixth place.