PCB to 'take action against' players opting out of PSL for IPL, says Mohsin Naqvi

PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi has vowed to take action against the players opting out of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to feature in the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani, who was bound to play for Islamabad United (IU) this season, opted out of the PSL and will hone his craft for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL.

As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, Sri Lanka's T20I captain Dasun Shanaka has also opted out of his PSL contract with Lahore Qalandars and will be seen in action for Rajasthan Royals (RR) as an injury replacement for Sam Curran.

Naqvi promised to take stringent action against such players while citing the example of South Africa's pace-bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch, who was banned from the PSL for one year. Bosch was a diamond pick for Peshawar Zalmi at the PSL draft, but withdrew from the league after he was roped in by Mumbai Indians as an injury replacement.

"We will take action against those players according to the rules," Naqvi was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo on Sunday. There was a case last year too [Corbin Bosch], and the same thing will happen this time."

"Clashing with the IPL is not an issue because if players are going there, we're getting excellent players coming here as well. We could not afford to postpone the PSL because we have no other window all year."

PSL 2026 to be played behind closed doors

The ongoing kinetic conflict in West Asia has forced the PCB to move the upcoming edition of the PSL behind closed doors. The PSL will now be played at only two venues instead of six, as was originally scheduled. The opening ceremony has also been cancelled.

"Looking at all of this and after discussions with our security agencies, we decided that the PSL would continue as per the original schedule. But we can't ask people to restrict their movements and then have 30,000 people in stadiums every day. We decided that as long as this crisis is ongoing, we will not have crowds at matches. This was a difficult decision, but it needed to be made. The opening ceremony will also be cancelled," said the PCB chief.