"I'm sad to miss out on playing for Welsh Fire this year," Afridi was quoted as saying in a press release. "I enjoyed the Hundred a lot last season, and I was excited about being back in Cardiff. I wish Mike [Hussey, Welsh Fire's coach] and the team the best of luck for 2024."

ESPNcricinfo understands that Afridi's official explanation to the ECB was that he is reluctant to commit to spending four weeks away from his family. The Hundred starts on July 23 and ends on August 18, with players expected to report a few days before their opening match.

Rather than using his second NOC on the Hundred, Afridi will instead consider playing in the Global T20, a privately-run league in Canada, which is set to return for a fourth season in 2024. The league's organisers are yet to announce a schedule but it is expected to run from July 25 until August 11 - a slightly shorter window than the Hundred.

The Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) has received reports of late or non-payment issues with the Global T20 in the past 24 months. As a result, FICA recommends on its leagues hub that "any participating players request advanced payment".