Pakistan players, Steve Smith and the other notable absentees from this year's Abu Dhabi T10 League - in pictures

Pakistan Cricket Board has barred its players from playing in this year's tournament

1. Mohammed Amir (Pakistan). The number one pick in the draft last month for Team Abu Dhabi – only to then be withdrawn, as the Pakistan Cricket Board reversed their decision to issue no-objection certificates to their players. AFP

2. Jonny Bairstow (England). Bairstow made a brief but extraordinary guest appearance at the T10 in Sharjah last year. He dropped in after making a century in a Test match in Sri Lanka, and proceeded to blaze 84 not out in 24 balls on debut for Kerala Knights. AFP

3. Chris Gayle (West Indies). A regular in franchise cricket around the world – not least in tournaments in the UAE, where he has played PSL, APL, and IPL cricket, as well as internationally for West Indies. But he is not part of the T10. AFP

4. Alex Hales (England). The opener has been persona non grata with the England national team since a second failed test for recreational drug use led to him being omitted from the World Cup squad this year. His 87 not out for Maratha Arabians last year is the highest T10 league score to date. AFP

5. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan). The number one ranked bowler in the ICC’s standings for T20 internationals. As such, he is always among the first picks in franchise league cricket – as he has been to date in the T10 league. He misses out this time, though, as the competition clashes with Afghanistan’s series against West Indies in India. Getty Images

6. Steve Smith (Australia). The Australian master batsman nearly played franchise cricket in the UAE. He was signed up for the UAE T20x draft, only for that competition to be aborted last year. He has yet to be spotted in the T10. Getty Images

7. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan). A crowd favourite in this country for over two decades, he was due to be the headline act for the new franchise Qalandars. They felt sure he was not dependent on PCB’s permission to play, given he is retired from international duty, but he has also been barred from participating. Chris Whiteoak / The National

8. Hardus Viljoen (South Africa). The feisty South African fast-bowler might not necessarily be a household name of the global game. But he was the one bowler to really crack the T10 format last year, as he bowled Northern Knights to the title. Getty Images

9. Haris Rauf (Pakistan). Qalandars management initially felt the block on Pakistani players from playing T10 would not include the likes of Pakistan Super League star Haris Rauf, who has no Pakistan representative honours and has never been centrally contracted. Even he, though, has been unable to find a way to play. Chris Whiteoak / The National

10. Mohammed Naveed (UAE). The fast bowler had become a regular in a number of franchise leagues around the world, and was the first pick for the berths in T10 that are reserved for UAE players in the past two years. That is no longer the case, though, after he and three other players were banned as part of an ICC probe into anti-corruption. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Abu Dhabi T10 is hardly short of stardust, but there are a few players who will be conspicuous by their absence when the competition starts at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday, November 15.

You can view a selection of the 10 absent cricket players missing out in the capital this month by viewing the photo gallery above.

To move on to the next image, click on the arrows or, if using a mobile device, simply swipe the picture.