English cricketers are awaiting guidance from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) after being selected in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) draft held on Monday in Lahore.
Among those picked were Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Peshawar Zalmi), Sam Billings, and Tom Curran (both Lahore Qalandars). Meanwhile, James Vince (Karachi Kings), Chris Jordan, and David Willey (Multan Sultans) had been retained earlier. The 2025 PSL’s new April-May schedule now clashes with the start of the English domestic season for the first time.
The ECB’s recently introduced NOC policy, implemented in November, has sparked frustration among players. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould explained that the policy aims to protect English cricket. Under the policy, players are not granted NOCs for overseas leagues during the English summer—including the PSL, Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and Major League Cricket (MLC)—except for the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, players with white-ball county contracts may still obtain NOCs for leagues that do not overlap with the T20 Blast or the Hundred.
Initially, the policy sought to prevent red-ball contracted players from missing County Championship matches for overseas leagues. However, following pushback from players, agents, and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), the ECB has eased its stance. Billings, Curran, Jordan, and Willey are currently expected to secure NOCs for the PSL.
The ECB’s NOC consultation group will evaluate requests based on criteria established in November. For the PSL, this includes players on white-ball contracts or those willing to renegotiate multi-format deals after the draft.
Players like Kohler-Cadmore (Somerset) and Vince (Hampshire), who are on all-format contracts, are considering their options, as participating in the PSL would mean missing at least the first six County Championship games. The PSL is scheduled from April 8 to May 19.
Six centrally contracted England players registered for the PSL draft but were marked “unavailable” after the ECB confirmed they would not issue NOCs. This group included Jonny Bairstow, who has not played for England since June, and Adil Rashid, a white-ball specialist.
“Following the announcement of the NOC policy and its proposed implementation, the PCA has been engaging with its members, legal team, and the ECB, collectively representing current players to find solutions on restrictions. Progress has been made across a number of implementation areas, however, each NOC request is on a case-by-case basis and there remains ongoing consultation,” a PCB spokesperson said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
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