Ben Stokes's potential PSL stint faces ECB hurdle: report

Former Test captain Ben Stokes's potential move to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) next season could face a hurdle as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is unlikely to grant him permission to play in overseas franchise competitions, British newspaper The Guardian reported on Saturday.

According to the report, Stokes has held discussions with franchises in the PSL and 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) while Stokes remains registered with Durham.

Stokes' central contract with the ECB is set to be cancelled at the end of this month following his decision to retire from international cricket in June. However, the governing body will continue to have influence over his participation in overseas leagues through its control of NOCs.

For the unversed, the ECB's policy is to deny NOCs to players who want to feature in overseas tournaments that overlap with domestic competitions for which they are contracted, although the Indian Premier League (IPL) is treated as an exception.

Under regulations updated in November 2024, the ECB can reject an NOC application from a player registered with a domestic county if an overseas tournament takes place during the county season or if granting permission could affect the "predictability, stability and consistency" of ECB competitions.

Stokes is understood to be keen to explore an opportunity in the MLC, which is provisionally scheduled for June and July next year.

However, his priority remains helping Durham compete for the County Championship after playing a key role in their promotion from Division Two during the latter part of the current season.

The report further suggested that the ECB is reluctant to make an exception for Stokes, as doing so could establish a precedent for other players seeking to participate in overseas franchise leagues.

The regulations were primarily introduced to prevent young players from leaving county cricket for franchise competitions.

Jason Roy and Alex Hales left county contracts to pursue T20 franchise league careers, while Moeen Ali retired from domestic cricket last year before returning for a short stint with Yorkshire in the T20 Blast this summer.