Dasun Shanaka has been banned from playing in the Pakistan Super League for one year

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has banned Sri Lanka's T20 International captain Dasun Shanaka from playing in the competition for one year.

The sanction follows a review carried out by the Pakistan Cricket Board, that organises the league, after Shanaka withdrew from this year's PSL, less than a week before it started.

Shanaka then signed for the Rajasthan Royals for the 2026 Indian Premier League season, which is still ongoing.

Context

Shanaka was picked by the Lahore Qalandars during the PSL Player Auction, for around USD 27,000, in February.

A month later, on March 21, Shanaka withdrew from the tournament, and signed for the Rajasthan Royals the following day as a replacement for the injured all-rounder Sam Curran.

Shanaka is expected to earn USD 214,000 from playing for the Royals, though he has not featured in any of the six matches the Rajasthan franchise has played so far.

PCB review

After Shanaka's withdrawal, the PCB conducted a comprehensive review of the contractual developments between the player and the Lahore Qalandars, the team he was contracted to.

Releasing a statement following the review, the PCB said Shanaka's unilateral withdrawal from the tournament constituted "a clear breach of the Player Registration terms and the Tripartite Agreement."

The PCB also found that the withdrawal was made "on grounds not recognized within the existing contractual framework."

While Shanaka had expressed his regret on the withdrawal, the PCB stated "the contractual violations necessitates regulatory action to maintain the integrity and exclusivity of the League."

It was determined therefore that Shanaka would be ineligible to participate in the next edition of the tournament, scheduled for 2027.

Shanaka's statement

Expressing his regret, Shanaka said that at the time of his withdrawal, he had no intention to join any other tournament.

"I must clarify that at the time I withdrew from the HBL PSL I had no intention of joining any other tournament. I have the greatest respect for Pakistani Fans and have always enjoyed my time in Pakistan," Shanaka said.

"I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community," he also stated.