The departure of some well-known international cricket players from the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 2024 has been a major blow to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This is a result of schedule clashes with other franchise-based competitions and cricket boards refusing to allow their players to play in domestic Twenty20 leagues.
The PSL is scheduled to begin play in Lahore on February 17. However, the league has suffered a significant setback as many players have opted to play in other competitions, such as the SA20, ILT20, and Bangladesh Premier League.
The PSL franchise Multan Sultans have experienced disappointment as several players they signed for the next season decided not to play. England fast bowler Reece Topley is the most recent player to withdraw, citing injury as the cause. Topley's participation in the PSL has been denied a no-objection certificate (NOC), as verified by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Nods of approval from other cricket boards to allow their players to play in the PSL are also being re-examined.
Notably, Pakistani fast bowler Ehsanullah, who had elbow surgery following the PSL last year, will not be available for the Multan Sultans. Lungi Ngidi, a pacer from South Africa, has left Peshawar Zalmi, and Wanidu Hasaranga, a player from Sri Lanka, will be missed by Quetta Gladiators.
Moreover, players from Afghanistan, England, South Africa including Rassie van Der Dussen, James Vince, Noor Ahmed, Shai Hope, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein and Tabraiz Shamsi have chosen not to participate in the PSL competition as a whole.
An owner of a PSL club has pleaded to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reevaluate the tournament timeframe, citing concerns that scheduling numerous tournaments back-to-back makes it difficult to draw in big names.
“The SA20 ended recently and the ILT20 concludes on the day the PSL begins, so it is getting difficult to sign big players now. There is an acute need to change the PSL window, else it will lose its charm if we don't get big overseas names,”
~he said on the condition of anonymity as quoted by PTI
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