The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Sri Lanka’s T20I captain Dasun Shanaka for one year from the PSL after he broke his contract with Lahore Qalandars to play in the Indian Premier League.
The PCB made the announcement on Monday after reviewing the matter. The board found that Shanaka walked out on March 21, 2026, breaking the terms of his player agreement. The reasons he gave for leaving were not accepted under the league’s rules.
Shanaka was bought by Lahore Qalandars for PKR 75 lakh. However, just one day after leaving the PSL, he joined the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL as a substitute for the injured Sam Curran, earning reportedly INR 2 crore for the move.
The PCB said it noted Shanaka’s regret but felt the breach was too serious to ignore, as it needed to protect the league’s rules and reputation. Shanaka later said sorry publicly, admitting he made a mistake and hoping to play in the PSL again someday.
This is not the first such case. Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani was banned for two years after he left to join Kolkata Knight Riders, and South African Corbin Bosch got a one-year ban last season for leaving Peshawar Zalmi to play for Mumbai Indians.
With more players picking IPL money over PSL contracts, the PCB has sent a clear message, break the deal, and you will pay the price.
