England bans players from participating in PSL and other leagues; here's why

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has officially barred English players from participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and other franchise tournaments that overlap with the domestic summer, while continuing to allow participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The decision, finalized at an ECB board meeting, is aimed at preserving the quality of domestic cricket.

Under the new policy, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) will not be granted for leagues conflicting with England's domestic competitions, such as the Vitality Blast and The Hundred. Players on white-ball-only contracts, however, may still be eligible to participate in such tournaments. Additionally, players will be prohibited from joining multiple leagues during the same timeframe, a practice known as "double-dipping."

The move could significantly reduce earning opportunities for English players during the summer, potentially pushing some to prioritize lucrative overseas leagues over their commitment to red-ball cricket. The PSL, scheduled for April 2025, would have clashed with key stages of the County Championship.

Star players like Saqib Mahmood, who recently signed a white-ball-only deal with Lancashire, may still find a pathway to participate in overseas leagues. However, others like Jason Roy and Alex Hales, who previously missed domestic matches to play in franchise tournaments, would now face restrictions.

Richard Gould, ECB Chief Executive, emphasized the importance of balancing players' earnings potential with safeguarding the domestic game's integrity.

“We need to protect the integrity of our sport and the strength of our competitions in England and Wales as well,” 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, ensuring we don’t undermine our own ECB competitions, and managing the welfare of centrally contracted England players.”

The decision comes amid a rapidly growing global franchise circuit, with over 20 major short-format leagues scheduled for 2025. This includes overlapping events like Major League Cricket, Canada’s Global T20, and Sri Lanka’s Premier League as well.

The ECB’s continued exception for IPL participation has drawn criticism, as it allows players to skip domestic commitments to appear in the world's most lucrative T20 league. Since 2008, England has accepted IPL scheduling conflicts, raising questions about fairness in enforcing the new policy against other leagues.

A record-breaking 74 England-qualified players participated in global franchise tournaments in 2023, the highest for any nation.