New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka for one year from the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The move comes after Shanaka ditched PSL 2026 to opt for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Sri Lankan batter had signed a contract with Lahore Qalandars to play in PSL 2026, however, he signed for Rajasthan Royals (RR) as a replacement player in IPL 2026.
Shanaka was picked up by the Lahore Qalandars for PKR 75 lakh in the PSL 2026 auction earlier this year. But the 34-year-old decided to withdraw from the tournament after receiving an offer from RR. He signed for RR as a replacement for injured Sam Curran in the IPL 2026.
The Pakistan Cricket Board on Monday said it has decided to ban Shanaka from the PSL for one season following a breach of contract. PCB said it conducted a review of the Sri Lankan batter’s contract breach before arriving at the decision to hand him a one-year ban.
“The review concluded that the player’s unilateral withdrawal from the tournament constituted a clear breach of both the Player Registration terms and the Tripartite Agreement. The findings indicated that the withdrawal was made on grounds not recognized within the existing contractual framework,” said PCB in a statement.
“While the Board has taken note of the player’s expressions of regret and his stated passion for playing in Pakistan during the formal hearing, the severity of the contractual violations necessitates regulatory action to maintain the integrity and exclusivity of the League,” it added.
The ban on Shanaka comes days after the PCB banned Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani from the PSL for two years for a breach of contract. Muzarabani was set to sign for Islamabad United as a replacement for PSL 2026, however, he opted to join the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman in the IPL 2026.