The England Cricket Board (ECB) has banned NOCs for leagues clashing with domestic competitions like Vitality Blast and The Hundred as the tournaments overlap with domestic summer.
This is due to allowing the players to continue their players’ participation in Indian Premier League. The decision finalised at an ECB board meeting, is aimed at preserving and protecting the quality of domestic cricket.
Under the new policy, NOCs will not be granted for leagues conflicting with England’s domestic competitions, such as the Vitality Blast and The Hundred.
However, they may be still eliglible to participate in such tournament. Additionally Players will be prohibited from joining multiple leagues during the same timefram, a practice known as ‘double dipping.’
“This policy gives clarity to players and professional counties around our approach to issuing No Objection Certificates.”
“It will enable us to strike the right balance between supporting players who want to take up opportunities to earn and gain experience, while also protecting the integrity of cricket globally,” said ECB chief executive Richard Gould.
The T20 leagues across the globe have been growing rapidly all across the globe over the last couple years. Every major cricket playing nationas across the globe now has a league of its own.
However, it is reported that 74 England players will be appearing in franchise tournaments worldwide last year.
But the ECB is now keen to change that and encourage domestic cricket participation in its own tournament.
The decision comes amid a rapidly growing global franchise circuit, with over 20 major shot format leagues for 2025. This includes overlapping event like MLC, Canada’s Global T20 and Sri Lanka’s Premier League as well.
The ECB has continued exception for IPL participation has drawn criticism, as it allows players to skip domestic commitments to appear in the world’s most lucrative T20 league.
Since 2008, England accepted IPL scheduled conflicts, raising questions about fairness in enforcing the new policy against other leagues.
A record breaking 74 England qualified players participated in global franchise tournaments in 2023, the highest for any nation.
Due to ICC Champions Trophy in February and March next year, the 2025 edition of the Pakistan Super League is expected to take place from mid-March to mid-April and will conicide with the IPL, which is reportedly set to start on March 14.
The majority of the top English players like Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Reece Topley along with others has joined IPL after being picked by various fanchises in the mega auction that was recently held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25.
