As the Indian Premier League is getting closer, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, on Sunday said that legal action would be taken against players who are going to the IPL at the last minute.
In addition, his comment came after Sri Lanka’s T20 captain, Dasun Shanaka, was signed as the replacement player by the Rajasthan Royals. However, the Sri Lankan all-rounder has gone unsold in the Indian Premier League and was then picked by Lahore Qalandars in the PSL.
Shanaka was the second player to choose IPL over PSL. The first player was Zimbabwe pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani, who was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders as the replacement for Mustafizur Rahman. The call to release Mustafizur was made by the BCCI.
Last year, South African pacer Corbin Bosch did the same and pulled out of his PSL contract to join the Mumbai Indians at the last minute.
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PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi’s statement on International Players
On Sunday, he said that legal action will be taken against the players. Moreover, he also said that the clash of IPL will not at all impact the PSL as various A-grade international players are joining PSL 2026. The list includes Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, and Steve Smith.
As per Hindustan Times, while talking to a reporter, he said: “As far as international players are concerned. Just look at the players who are coming for this year’s PSL. Yes, two to three players have also left. We are planning to take legal action against them. But look at the difference in players this year as compared to the previous few years.”
Further, he added, “There is a regional issue going on, but we have gotten many category A players involved this year. Players who never came to Pakistan have now started to come here for the PSL. It doesn’t matter that we are clashing with the IPL, because there are many players worldwide. Despite the IPL, we are getting many international players on board.”
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PSL 2026 Changes Its Plan
According to the reports, the venues are now reduced to two from six, and all the matches will be played in Karachi and Lahore. In addition, the opening ceremony is also cancelled, and the fans who bought tickets will get their refunds within the next 72 hours.
The PSL is to begin two days before the Indian Premier League 2026 and will be played behind closed doors, Naqvi confirmed on Sunday. The report says that the decision was taken with the West Asia crisis in mind.
Former Pakistan Cricketer Blasted on the Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board
Ahmed Shehzad, a veteran Pakistan cricketer, showed his disappointment after Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026.
According to sports ndtv, he said that PCB has supported a few despite constant failures that have led to the downfall of the Pakistan cricket team.
He said on his YouTube channel: “The calibre of your players is not at that level, which was built up as a brand by the Pakistan Cricket Board for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 5 and 7 years ago. These 6-8 boys… they are also the face of the PSL. They are also the face of our Pakistan team. Will they change Pakistan’s destiny?”
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He further said, “You provided all the sponsorships to those boys, endorsed them, and invested money in them. You gave them captaincies in the PSL, right? You made them the thumb of the Pakistan team. You handed over the entire Pakistan cricket team to those 6 boys and their agents. And what have they done now? The fire they have lit in the jungle, the fun and parties they have had, the pockets they have filled, the enjoyment they have had… they haven’t given Pakistan any wins by doing so.”
“Such is the audacity (of the players) that even today, they are not ready to admit that we are responsible. Not a single one of those players. Even today, they play the blame game. Even today, their ego is such that it isn’t breaking. So weak is the Pakistan Cricket Board now.”
He ended by saying, “Whenever you talk about any player, they start spinning stories. I have never seen the Pakistan Cricket Board this weak in my life, as weak as this PCB is. They have power, right? But in their decision-making, they appear to be kneeling before their players. This PCB can’t do anything. The work they were supposed to do was bringing in new faces, but they didn’t. What they do is, after every event, they try to pull a new trick, but the public has now caught their pattern.”