PCB Bans Another International Player for Breaching PSL Contract

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Sri Lankan cricketer Dasun Shanaka from the 2027 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 12) after ruling that his withdrawal from Lahore Qalandars ahead of PSL 11 was a breach of contract.

In a statement, the PCB said Dasun Shanaka’s unilateral withdrawal on March 21, 2026, violated both the Player Registration terms and the Tripartite Agreement. The board said the reasons given by the Sri Lankan all-rounder were not recognized under the league’s contractual framework.

As a result, Dasun Shanaka has been declared ineligible for PSL 12.

The decision formally closes a controversy that began just days before the start of PSL 11, when Shanaka pulled out of Lahore’s squad and then moved to the IPL.

Shanaka had been signed by Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 11 auction on February 11 for Rs. 75 lakh after going unsold in the IPL auction. However, before the tournament began, he withdrew from the squad and later joined Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for the injured Sam Curran.

Lahore Qalandars then brought in Australian all-rounder Daniel Sams as Shanaka’s replacement. The franchise confirmed the switch on March 22.

The PCB’s review found that Shanaka’s withdrawal amounted to a clear contractual violation, which is why the board moved ahead with a one-year ban. In simple terms, he was punished because he had already committed to Lahore Qalandars for PSL 11 and then walked away before the season to take up an IPL opportunity.

Shanaka, however, issued an apology after the ruling.

He said he deeply regretted his decision and apologized to the people of Pakistan, PSL fans and Lahore Qalandars supporters. He also said he had no intention of joining any other tournament at the time he withdrew and hoped to return to the PSL in the future with renewed commitment.

Despite that apology, the PCB decided disciplinary action was necessary to protect the league’s contractual system and maintain the exclusivity of the competition.

The Shanaka case has also drawn fresh attention because it follows a similar controversy involving Blessing Muzarabani.

The Zimbabwe pacer was handed a two-year PSL ban earlier after leaving Islamabad United and joining Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. The PCB said Muzarabani had failed to honor agreed commitments and entered into a conflicting engagement while a prior binding agreement was in place.

But Muzarabani’s camp has strongly disputed that version.

In his recent response, Muzarabani’s agent described the two-year ban as “incredibly excessive” and argued that no formal contract had actually been sent to the player. According to the agent, the deal was only a verbal commitment subject to a No Objection Certificate, and since no official contract arrived, there was nothing to breach.

The agent also said the issue was an administrative error rather than misconduct by the player.

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