KARACHI: England batsman James Vince has raised concerns over the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) no-objection certificate (NOC) policy, criticizing its restrictions on participation in foreign leagues, including the English Super League. Pakistan (PSL), during the English national match. season, while exemptions are granted for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
After being retained by Karachi Kings in the PSL, Vince pointed out the “double standard” in the ECB’s approach.
“The PSL is a shorter competition, so if you go to play in it, you’ll probably miss less domestic cricket than if you go to the IPL,” Vince said. “So, that was a big competition that just didn’t feel right for me,” he added.
The ECB policy, introduced in November last year, restricts players from participating in foreign leagues that coincide with the English summer, including the PSL, Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Major League Cricket (MLC).
However, players can get NOCs for the IPL, even if it overlaps with the County Championship season.
“I guess it has to have something to do with the relations between the ECB, the PCB and the BCCI,” Vince speculated.
Vince announced last year that he would be quitting red-ball cricket and stepping down as Hampshire club captain to focus exclusively on white-ball cricket for the 2025 season, allowing him to participate in the PSL.
He indicated that the financial disparity between national contracts and franchise leagues influenced his decision.
“We are talking about quite large sums of money in terms of what players lose by playing red ball cricket. Especially later in their careers, when there is a big difference in those numbers, I’m sure more and more people will follow that path,” he said.
The PSL’s new April-May window clashed with the County Championship, forcing Vince to renegotiate the final year of his Hampshire contract. “I know we have had a bit of dialogue with our owners and team management in Karachi. “They were worried about picking someone in the draft and then rejecting the NOC,” he said.
Initially, the ECB planned to block players from any foreign leagues that coincided with county championship matches. However, after pressure from players, agents and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), the stance was softened, allowing for some exceptions. Despite this, the IPL’s one-time exemption has continued to raise questions.
“If another 25 or 30 English players had been signed on decent contracts [in the PSL]if there would be more people giving up their red ball contracts to accept that offer,” Vince reflected. “It also didn’t help the English national players in the draft.”
Vince’s decision to focus on white-ball cricket and participate in the PSL highlights a growing trend among players prioritizing lucrative franchise leagues over traditional formats. With franchise opportunities expanding globally, financial incentives often outweigh the rewards of domestic contracts.
As more players question the ECB’s NOC policy and its implications for their careers, the board faces increasing pressure to address perceived inconsistencies and ensure fair opportunities for all formats and leagues.
According to a report, the English players had sought clarity from the ECB over their NOCs after they were signed to play in the PSL draft on January 13.
While James Vince is part of Karachi Kings, Cris Jordan and David Willey are selected to play for Multan Sultans. Tom Kohler Cadmore will don the jersey of Peshawar Zalmi, while Sam Billings and Tom Curran will play for Lahore Qalandars.
