Saint Lucia Kings will be without left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad for the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League season, St Lucia Times, after his No Objection Certificate (NOC) was revoked by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
Without Ahmad, the team loses an important wicket-taker, especially on spin-friendly pitches in the region. At 21, he was a key player for the Boys in Blue during their first CPL title win in 2024, leading the team in wickets.
The Kings have signed Abraham Jacobus “Obus” Pienaar as a replacement. Pienaar is travelling to Saint Lucia to join the squad as they continue their home games. He is a South African-born American cricketer who bats right-handed and also bowls slow left-arm spin.
NOCs are official documents from a player’s home cricket board that let them play in domestic or franchise tournaments outside their country or regular contracts. Since franchise cricket began, NOCs have become a key administrative tool in the sport.
NOCs are meant to encourage players to put their national teams first instead of leaving to play in T20 leagues. They also help manage player workloads and fitness. Ahmad recently played in The Hundred competition in England.
In an official statement, the Kings said the franchise “is disappointed that Noor will be unable to join the team and wishes him all the best”. The statement also said the team remains “focused on the matches ahead”.
The Kings still expect New Zealand opening wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert to be available for the rest of the tournament. They have also announced that West Indies opener John Campbell will join the squad as a temporary replacement for Jewel Andrew, who is recovering from injury.
