At least one first-class match was made compulsory by the English officials for the issue of work-permit.

But the PCB officials said they would give NOC/acknowledgement certificate to only those cricketers who will play at minimum of five first-class matches.

This stand of the PCB also makes little sense in the background that some of the players who have been regular members of their teams, have not been played in more than five matches because of wickets and weather.

The biggest example in this context is of Mohammad Husain, the Test spinner, who has played just one first-class match this season. Now if Husain wants to play club cricket, the PCB would not issue him a certificate because he has not met their criterion.

No clear-cut explanation has been given by the cricket board but sources close to the PCB officials said the England Cricket Board (ECB) requested the PCB to allow only genuine cricketers to come to England. The PCB has been reported that quite a few cricketers arrived in England last year to play club cricket.