A sudden withdrawal, a broken contract, and a harsh two-year ban shake the cricket world as Sri Lanka’s T20 captain Dasun Shanaka faces the consequences of a controversial PSL exit.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has banned Sri Lanka Twenty20 captain Dasun Shanaka from participating in the Pakistan Super League cricket tournament for two years, delivering a strong message on contract discipline in franchise cricket.
The Pakistan Cricket Board said that he was punished for “unilaterally withdrawing” from the ongoing 11th PSL tournament, a decision that sparked widespread discussion across the international cricket community.
The decision was taken following an investigation into the violation of contractual terms with the Lahore Qalandars team, highlighting the seriousness of player commitments in modern T20 leagues.
Although Dasun Shanaka expressed deep regret over his resignation during the disciplinary inquiry held in this regard, the Pakistani cricket authorities emphasized that taking such disciplinary action was necessary considering the seriousness of the breach of contract. The ban means that the 34 year old Shanaka will also miss the next PSL tournament scheduled for 2027.
In a statement, Dasun Shanaka apologized to Pakistani cricket fans. “I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the PSL and I apologize to the people of Pakistan, the cricket fans and the Lahore Qalandars team,” he said.
He further explained that at the time of his withdrawal, he had no intention of joining any other league and that the decision was taken for personal reasons, attempting to clarify his position amid growing criticism.
Dasun Shanaka was bought by the Lahore Qalandars team for 7.5 million Pakistani rupees in this year’s PSL player auction, underlining the value placed on the Sri Lankan all rounder. However, he withdrew three days before the start of the tournament due to personal reasons and was replaced by Australia’s Daniel Sams.
