The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has faced a growing challenge over the last two seasons, with several players leaving the tournament to join the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
Traditionally, the PSL is held between January and March, allowing it to finish before the IPL begins.However, over the last two years, the PSL has overlapped with the IPL, creating a major headache for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Whenever injury replacements or other squad vacancies emerge in the IPL, players involved in the PSL have been tempted to leave Pakistan and switch leagues.In 2025, the PSL was moved to March-April because Pakistan was hosting the Champions Trophy in February, leading to a direct clash with the IPL.
This year too, the schedule was pushed back after the T20 World Cup was held in February and March, once again forcing the PSL into an overlapping window with the IPL.FROM BOSCH TO SHANAKAThe first major instance of a PSL-contracted player switching to the IPL came last year, when South Africa’s Corbin Bosch was picked by Peshawar Zalmi in the Diamond category for PSL 2025, in a deal reportedly worth around 85,000 US dollars.However, he later pulled out after joining Mumbai Indians as an IPL replacement for Proteas pacer Lizaad Williams when the two leagues overlapped.
The PCB issued him a legal notice, calling it a breach of contract.
Bosch later apologised, but was handed a one-year....
