Solely retired IPL stars come to PSL: Ahmed Shahzad provides Pakistan brutal reality-check


Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has criticized the Pakistan Tremendous League’s (PSL) strategy in the direction of gamers opting to affix the Indian Premier League (IPL), urging the league to give attention to its bigger positioning moderately than imposing bans.

Talking on his YouTube channel, Shehzad stated that banning gamers for switching leagues isn’t the best answer, particularly within the present panorama the place the IPL continues to draw high world expertise.

“Reasonably than getting hung up on who we’ve or have not banned, we must always give attention to the larger image,” Shehzad stated, including that the PSL should acknowledge the fact of its standing compared to the IPL.

He argued that the PSL at present options gamers who’re now not a part of the IPL ecosystem or don’t maintain contracts within the event.

“For probably the most half, the gamers you could have are those that have retired from the IPL or whose prospects there have run their course,” he stated, citing names like David Warner and Steve Smith.

Shehzad additionally questioned claims that the PSL is “larger and higher” than the IPL, suggesting that gamers would nonetheless prioritize the Indian league if given the selection.

“Let’s be sincere, any participant with a viable alternative would select the IPL,” he added.

His feedback come within the backdrop of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) taking a agency stance in opposition to gamers withdrawing from PSL commitments to take part within the IPL.

Lately, the PCB handed a two-year ban to Blessing Muzarabani after the quick bowler pulled out of his PSL contract with Islamabad United to affix Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2026.

In a press release, the board stated Muzarabani had disregarded his contractual obligations regardless of agreeing to the phrases earlier.

Different gamers, together with Spencer Johnson and Dasun Shanaka, have additionally withdrawn from PSL offers to characteristic within the IPL and will face comparable sanctions.

Shehzad, nonetheless, backed the PCB’s dealing with of the Muzarabani case, saying the board had acted appropriately in that occasion however ought to keep away from making bans the focus of its technique.

As an alternative, he careworn that the PSL should give attention to strengthening its product and world attraction.

Because the battle for participant availability between leagues intensifies, Shehzad’s remarks underline a broader debate in regards to the PSL’s place within the world T20 ecosystem and the challenges it faces in competing with the IPL’s monetary and sporting pull.

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Revealed By:

Amar Panicker

Revealed On:

Apr 15, 2026 14:22 IST