England players won't feature in Pakistan Super League: Here's why
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a new policy, banning its players from featuring in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the domestic season. The rule also applies to the Lankan Premier League (LPL) and other international leagues which overlap with the English summer months. The move aims to safeguard the integrity and quality of ECB's own domestic competitions like the County Championship, Vitality Blast, and The Hundred.
New policy restricts participation in concurrent leagues
The ECB's new policy also refrains its players from playing in two leagues at the same time. Earlier, players could join another tournament if their team was knocked out of the first one. However, this won't be allowed under the new guidelines. The policy exempts players who feature in white-ball cricket. They are allowed to play in leagues like PSL. But those with contracts including First-Class conracts won't be given the required NOC to play in these leagues.
ECB CEO comments on new policy
"This policy gives clarity to players and professional counties around our approach to issuing No Objection Certificates," Richard Gould, ECB chief executive, said on the policy. "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."
ECB's policy does not affect IPL participation
Notably, the new ECB policy doesn't impact English players' participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which takes place every year in April and May. This exception is significant as it enables England's cricketers to remain a part of one of the world's most lucrative T20 leagues. The decision comes at a time when T20 and T10 leagues are on the rise globally, with almost every major cricket-playing nation hosting its own league.
