SLC denies CPL NOC to Niroshan Dickwella, Thisara Perera after refusal to tour Pakistan
The Sri Lanka Cricket board has come hard on its players including the likes of Niroshan Dickwella and Thisara Perera who have refused to tour Pakistan. The board has denied Dickwella a NOC to play in the CPL and will prevent Perera from playing in the majority of the T20 league.
After Dickwella and Thisara Perera - and eight Sri Lankan cricketers - refused to tour Pakistan in September and October, the SLC board has become strict about its T20 leagues policy. According to SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, it is the board's policy that if there is a national tour for which a player might reasonably be picked, that player will not be granted a NOC to play in a foreign league if he or she withdraws from national commitments voluntarily.
Meanwhile, another SLC official also expressed his disapproval of so many frontline Sri Lanka players refusing to visit Pakistan, despite the fact that the board's security assessments had concluded that the tour was safe.
"It's our policy not to give NOCs when there is a national tour, and the players would have known that," de Silva said. "So Dickwella has not been granted an NOC and will be expected to train with the national team in the next few weeks. We have also asked Thisara to return to the country on September 15, so he can also join the team in training."
While Thisara, who has already played two matches for St Lucia Zouks, was already granted an NOC, the agreement is conditional upon his availability for Sri Lanka tours. And although he has refused to go on the Pakistan tour, he now has to return to Sri Lanka. On the other hand, Dickwella has now been denied a NOC because he had been with Sri Lanka's T20 team for the series against New Zealand last week.
Although chief selector of SLC Ashantha de Mel has told players their refusal would not hurt their selection chances for future tours, there remains frustration within the Sri Lanka board that a full-fledged tour could not go ahead as planned.
"We have done a very meticulous security assessment, and the Pakistan board has gone out of their way," a disapproving SLC official said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. "Other international players have also toured there with the World XI and so on. And Pakistan is also willing to provide the same security they give to heads of state for the players. What more could they want?"
The Sri Lanka players have suggested they would prefer another team to take the lead in helping international cricket return to Pakistan that was banned after the 2009 Lahore attack on the Sri Lanka team bus. Only Suranga Lakmal of the current list of players had been caught up in that attack.
"I can completely understand that for players who were actually there during the attack - like Lakmal - why they would be reluctant," the SLC official said. "But we have to help our Asian neighbours. Soon after the Easter Attacks this year, Pakistan sent an Under-19 team to Sri Lanka. We're not trying to risk anyone's life, but we do have obligations and there needs to be reciprocation. The security situation in Pakistan has improved a lot."
"It's not a question of trying to be vindictive or victimise players. But they do have an obligation," the official concluded by stating his stand about the refusal of NOCs.
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