England Bars Players From Taking Part in PSL

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a ban on players participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and other franchise leagues that overlap with the domestic summer, though an exception remains for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 2025 IPL and PSL seasons are set to overlap with the English domestic summer and ECB’s decision could significantly impact the earning potential of English players during the home season, potentially prompting some to prioritize overseas leagues over red-ball cricket.

However, the ECB argues that the new policy will help protect the quality of domestic cricket in England.

In October, England’s Telegraph Sport revealed that the ECB was planning to stop issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for competitions that conflict with the English summer, unless the player is on a white-ball-only contract. As part of the policy, players will also be prohibited from participating in any league that overlaps with the Vitality Blast or The Hundred.

The board has further stated that players will be banned from participating in leagues suspected of corruption and will not be allowed to “double-dip” by switching to another tournament after being eliminated from one.

Policy’s Impact on Players

The new regulations, ratified by the ECB board on Wednesday, come during a period of intense scrutiny for the sport, as the calendar for short-format franchise cricket continues to grow. Over 20 major franchise competitions are scheduled for 2024, and this number is expected to rise in the coming years.

The policy could place players in a difficult position, as they must choose between maximizing earnings from overseas leagues and making themselves available for all formats of the game.

In the past, there was little overlap between major domestic cricket and international leagues. However, in 2024, the T20 Blast and The Hundred will coincide with other prominent leagues like Major League Cricket, Canada’s Global T20 league, and Sri Lanka’s Premier League. Additionally, the Caribbean Premier League will start in late August.

The 2025 IPL will still clash with the beginning of the English summer, a longstanding issue, but England has accepted that players may miss domestic games to participate in the world’s most lucrative T20 competition over Pakistan’s PSL 2025.

Without intervention from the ECB, there were concerns that numerous English cricketers might join the PSL, potentially depleting the quality of the County Championship.

Changes to Player Availability

Under the new policy, even players who no longer compete in first-class cricket will not be allowed to miss English domestic white-ball games.

This year, Jason Roy missed T20 Blast fixtures for Surrey in order to play in Major League Cricket and the Caribbean Premier League, while Alex Hales missed matches for Nottinghamshire to take part in the Lanka Premier League.

“We need to protect the integrity of our sport and the strength of our competitions in England and Wales,” said Richard Gould, ECB chief executive. “This policy gives clarity to players and professional counties around our approach to issuing No Objection Certificates. It will enable us to strike the right balance between supporting players who want to take up opportunities to earn and gain experience, while also protecting the integrity of cricket globally.”

In 2023, a record 74 England-qualified men participated in franchise tournaments worldwide, further highlighting the growing trend of English players joining overseas leagues.

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