NEW DELHI: The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has banned its players from participating in the Pakistan Super League and other franchise leagues during the domestic season, according to The Telegraph. This move comes as a significant setback for Pakistan cricket, while England players will still be allowed to participate in the Indian Premier League.
“The ECB will also stop allowing players to appear in any competitions that overlap with the Vitality 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,” the report read.
Under the new policy, English players who are no longer involved in First-Class cricket will also be prohibited from missing domestic white-ball matches in England.
“We need to protect the integrity of our sport and the strength of our competitions in England and Wales as well,” ECB chief executive Richard Gould was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
“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.
It has also been reported that 74 England-qualified players took part in franchise tournaments worldwide in 2023. However, the ECB is now determined to reverse this trend and promote greater participation in domestic cricket events within England.