There have been talks circulating which hint at the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) denying permission for players to be a part of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). This comes after the governing body granted complete approval for the affiliated players to feature in the subsequent three editions of the Indian Premier League, starting from next year.
The English players will not be allowed to participate in PSL and any other franchise leagues which would coincide with the domestic summer. The alteration in the guidelines is anticipated to diminish the earning potential of a bunch of players. However, the board is of the opinion that the amendments in rules will help enhance the quality and reach of the domestic game.
“The ECB will also stop allowing players to appear in any competitions that overlap with the Blast and The Hundred. The board confirmed that players will be barred from leagues suspected of corruption and prevented from “double-dipping” – switching to a new tournament once eliminated from another competition taking place at the same time. We need to protect the integrity of our sport and the strength of our competitions in England and Wales as well,” Chief Executive of the ECB, Richard Gould, was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
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Gives clarity around our approach to issuing No Objection Certificates: Gould
Gould also noted that this step was being taken keeping the larger interest of England cricket in mind.
“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,” he added.
With the Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled in February, the PSL will overlap with the IPL, both of which will start from mid-March. Quite a few of the big-ticket players from England will play in the 18th edition of the marquee Indian league, slated to commence on March 14.