The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has warned of strict action against overseas players pulling out of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to join IPL franchises, with chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirming sanctions could mirror last year’s bans. The flashpoint came after Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka quit Lahore Qalandars to join Rajasthan Royals as a replacement, underlining a growing trend just days before PSL 2026 begins.
Dasun Shanaka on Sunday (March 22) became the second player to pull out of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL). With PSL and IPL taking place at the same time, the players have to pick one league. The PSL squads include the majority of stars who went unsold in the IPL auction, or those who weren’t in contention to play the world’s biggest cricket league. Shanaka, who went unsold in the IPL 2026 mini-auction, joined Lahore Qalandars in the PSL auction. But he won’t be part of the Pakistani league and will instead play for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL. The Sri Lanka T20I captain has replaced Sam Curran.
This matters now because the PSL and IPL are set to overlap again, intensifying a scheduling conflict that continues to test player loyalty, league contracts, and the global T20 ecosystem.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi reacted to Shanaka’s pullout and said that they will take legal action against them. “We will take action against those players according to the rules. There was a case last year too and the same thing will happen this time,” Naqvi said on Sunday (March 22)
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