‘We will take action…’: PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on players opting out of PSL for IPL

NEW DELHI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has vowed to pursue action against players who withdraw from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the last minute to join the Indian Premier League (IPL), as the two leagues face a clash for the second consecutive year.

Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka became the latest to do so, pulling out of the Lahore Qalandars squad to join the Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for the injured Sam Curran. Shanaka previously featured in the 2023 season of the IPL for the Gujarat Titans, where he played three matches. In three innings, he scored 26 runs.

Shanaka becomes the second player in recent days to leave a PSL side for an IPL franchise after Blessing Muzarabani pulled out of his deal with Islamabad United after Kolkata Knight Riders reached out to him to be a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman, who was released on instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India earlier.

MOHSIN NAQVI CHALLENGE BCCI & IPL

He Said - “PCB will be taking legal action against who opt From PSL to join IPL after PSL contract but PSL is so strong league ”

— PSL is attracting and produces more top tier players than IPL

pic.twitter.com/jo5Em5iMN6

— Indian Cricket Netwrk (@ICN_Updates01) March 22, 2026

“We will take action against those players according to the rules. There was a case last year, too [Corbin Bosch, who was banned from the PSL for one year], 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,” Naqvi said as per ESPNcricinfo.

Bosch was a diamond pick for Peshawar Zalmi last time, but he made a late switch to play for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. The PSL has also seen several other withdrawals, including Gudakesh Motie, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ottneil Baartman, and Spencer Johnson, though most have attributed their exits to personal reasons.

The PSL is set to start on March 26, two days before the IPL kicks off across the border. (ANI)