James Vince Slams ECB’s NOC Policy Over PSL and IPL Disparities

News Desk

Karachi: England batter James Vince has raised concerns about the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) no-objection certificate (NOC) policy, particularly its restrictions on players’ participation in overseas leagues, such as the Pakistan Super League (PSL), during the English domestic season, while allowing exemptions for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Vince, who has been retained by Karachi Kings for the PSL, criticized the “double standards” in the ECB’s approach, especially the preferential treatment given to the IPL.

“The PSL is a shorter competition, so if you’re going to play in that, you’re probably missing less domestic cricket than if you’re going to the IPL,” Vince pointed out. “It just didn’t seem right,” he added.

The ECB’s policy, introduced last November, restricts players from participating in overseas leagues that overlap with the English summer, such as the PSL, Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and Major League Cricket (MLC). However, players are granted NOCs for the IPL, which clashes with the County Championship season.

Vince speculated that the ECB’s decision might be influenced by the relationships between the ECB, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Last year, Vince announced he would retire from red-ball cricket and step down as Hampshire’s club captain to focus exclusively on white-ball cricket for the 2025 season, which allowed him to join the PSL. He acknowledged that the financial disparity between domestic contracts and franchise league offers played a role in his decision.

“You’re talking quite large sums of money in terms of what players forego by playing red-ball cricket, particularly later in their careers when there’s a big difference in those numbers,” Vince explained. “I’m sure more and more players will go down that route.”

Vince also noted the conflict between the PSL’s new April-May window and the County Championship, which led him to renegotiate the final year of his Hampshire contract. “We had some dialogue with our owners and Karachi’s team management as they were concerned about picking me in the draft and then facing an NOC denial,” he shared.

The ECB initially planned to block players from any overseas league that overlapped with County Championship fixtures, but softened its stance after pressure from players, agents, and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), allowing some exceptions. Nevertheless, the IPL’s exemption continues to raise questions.

Vince also speculated whether the ECB’s stance would have been different had more English players been offered lucrative contracts in the PSL. “Had 25 or 30 English players been picked up in the PSL draft, maybe more would have been willing to forgo their red-ball contracts,” he reflected. “This didn’t help English domestic players in the draft either.”

Vince’s decision to focus on white-ball cricket and join the PSL highlights a growing trend among players prioritizing the financial benefits of franchise leagues over traditional formats. With the expansion of franchise opportunities worldwide, the financial incentives often outweigh the rewards of domestic contracts.

As more players question the ECB’s NOC policy, there is mounting pressure on the board to address the perceived inconsistencies and ensure fair opportunities for all formats and leagues.

Following the January 13 PSL draft, other England players including Cris Jordan, David Willey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sam Billings, and Tom Curran were also drafted to various PSL franchises, further intensifying the debate around the NOC policy.