Islamabad: Former England Test captain Ben Stokes’ potential move to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) next season could be complicated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which is reportedly unlikely to grant him permission to play in overseas franchise leagues, according to British newspaper The Guardian.
The report said Stokes has held discussions with PSL franchises as well as teams in the United States’ Major League Cricket (MLC) over a possible move next season. However, the ECB is reluctant to issue the required No-Objection Certificate (NOC) as long as Stokes remains registered with Durham.
Stokes’ central contract with the ECB is due to end this month after he announced his retirement from international cricket in June. Despite the termination of his contract, the governing body will retain control over his participation in overseas leagues through its NOC system.
Under ECB policy, NOCs are generally withheld from players seeking to participate in overseas competitions that overlap with domestic tournaments for which they are contracted. The Indian Premier League (IPL), however, is treated as an exception.
Regulations updated in November 2024 allow the ECB to reject an NOC application from a player registered with a domestic county if an overseas tournament coincides with the county season or if granting permission could undermine the “predictability, stability and consistency” of ECB competitions.
Stokes is reportedly interested in playing in the MLC, which is provisionally scheduled to take place in June and July next year. However, his immediate priority is understood to be helping Durham challenge for the County Championship after playing an important role in their promotion from Division Two during the latter part of the ongoing season.
According to The Guardian, the ECB is also reluctant to make an exception for Stokes, fearing it could set a precedent for other players seeking opportunities in overseas franchise leagues.
The regulations were introduced largely to discourage young players from leaving county cricket for franchise competitions.
Jason Roy and Alex Hales previously left county contracts to pursue careers in T20 franchise cricket, while Moeen Ali retired from domestic cricket last year before making a brief return with Yorkshire during this summer’s T20 Blast.
