A brewing storm in English cricket has seen around 50 top players consider boycotting next year’s Hundred tournament in protest against the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) new restrictions on playing in overseas franchise leagues.
The controversy centers on the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which has been directly affected by the ECB’s revised “no-objection certificate” (NOC) policy. Under the new rules, the ECB will no longer issue NOCs for tournaments that overlap with the English summer, unless players are on white-ball-only county contracts.
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This decision directly impacts the PSL, which has moved to an April-May window that overlaps with the Indian Premier League (IPL). While the IPL has been controversially exempted from the policy, the PSL, along with other leagues such as Major League Cricket and the Caribbean Premier League, is barred from accessing English talent during this period.
The move has sparked outrage among players, many of whom feel blindsided by the lack of consultation. The PSL has become a lucrative opportunity for English cricketers, offering significant financial rewards and high-quality competition. Players such as Jonny Bairstow, likely to receive a substantial offer from the PSL, are now unable to participate due to their red-ball contracts, even though they are not currently in England’s Test plans. Similarly, white-ball specialists like Luke Wood and Saqib Mahmood, with flexible county contracts, are also barred from participating in the PSL.
Reports suggest the PSL is set to offer lucrative contracts in the upcoming season, with top-tier talent potentially earning up to $350,000 to $400,000 (approximately 11 crore Pakistani Rupees).
The ECB’s decision to allow IPL participation while blocking the PSL has been criticized as unfair, especially given the growing stature of the PSL as one of the premier T20 leagues in the world. Critics argue that the ECB’s actions prioritize its own financial interests, particularly as it negotiates with IPL franchises for stakes in the Hundred.
The potential boycott of the Hundred could create significant problems for the ECB, which is relying on its top players to maintain the tournament’s quality and attract investors. However, with the ECB set to increase Hundred salaries to as much as £175,000, there are concerns that financial incentives could divide the players’ united front.
For now, the standoff continues, with the Professional Cricketers’ Association seeking legal advice on whether the ECB’s policy violates players’ rights.
