Sri Lanka’s T20I captain Dasun Shanaka was banned from playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for one year by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday, April 20, after he cancelled his PSL deal with Lahore Qalandars earlier this year to join Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals as a replacement player for Sam Curran for the ongoing 2026 edition of the IPL.
According to available information, the 34-year-old Sri Lankan cricketer, who previously played in the IPL for Gujarat Titans, received a one-year ban following a review of his contract breach with PSL and the Lahore Qalandars franchise, which signed him for PKR 75 lakh in the PSL 2026 auction.
“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 recognised within the existing contractual framework,” a PCB review stated on Monday.
“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.
Shanaka is the second international cricketer banned by the PCB this year for breaching a PSL contract to join an IPL team as a replacement player.
Before him, Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani was handed a two-year suspension by PCB for leaving PSL to play in the IPL. Muzarabani cancelled his PSL deal last month to join the Kolkata Knight Riders as a replacement player for Mustafizur Rahman. He made his IPL debut for KKR against Mumbai Indians on March 29 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and then played in KKR’s next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad as well.
In KKR’s first home of IPL 2026, Muzarabani picked up 4 wickets for the Ajinkya Rahane-led side in his quota of four overs but failed to help them secure a win over Ishan Kishan & Co. in front of home fans.
In 2025, South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch also cancelled his PSL deal with Peshawar Zalmi to join the Mumbai Indians as a replacement player, and he was handed a one-year suspension.
