Pakistan's star all-rounder Shahid Afridi and veteran batsman Mohammad Yousuf have been barred by the Pakistan Cricket Board from taking part in the ongoing President's Cup, DawnNews reported.

Both players had expressed the desire to return to first-class cricket in a bid to regain form ahead of Pakistan's upcoming season.

According to the PCB, the players were not given permission to play because they were not on the rosters of their respective teams at the start of the tournament.

While Yousuf has largely been on the sidelines and virtually lost his place in the national side, Afridi is expected to be part of Pakistan's upcoming limited overs campaigns. But the all-rounder has had a torrid time with the bat of late and was to return to the first-class arena after a gap of nearly four years.

Earlier, Yousuf lamented the fact that the PCB wanted him to prove his fitness but was not allowing him to play in the domestic circuit.

“On the one hand, the PCB tells me to prove form and fitness in the domestic circuit, but then does not allow me to do so,” said Yousuf while talking to the media.

“Since 2010 I have not been representing any domestic team, this time around the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) offered me a slot which I readily accepted.”