Kingsmen Hyderabad owner Fawad Sarwar has said England’s top red-ball players are unlikely to play in PSL 2026 due to scheduling issues after the T20 World Cup.
Sarwar claimed the England and Wales Cricket Board is not expected to issue No Objection Certificates to Test regulars, as England will have a packed Test calendar after the global event.
“I don’t think the ECB will give NOCs to England red-ball players. That’s the latest update we have,” Sarwar said.
As a result, PSL franchises may once again miss out on leading England names, many of whom already struggle to complete full seasons in other leagues due to national duties.
Sarwar also took aim at the management of the Pakistan Super League, saying the competition has failed to reach its potential despite having strong fan support and talent.
“PSL should be the second-best league. You’ve created your competitors for no reason. If you can’t run the team properly, then hand it over to someone else,” he said.
The comments come at a time when PSL is expanding with new teams like Kingsmen Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallionz, but still lags behind richer leagues.
Sarwar pointed out that PSL continues to struggle against the financial power of the Indian Premier League, The Hundred, SA20 and ILT20.
He believes one major reason is the league’s lower player salary cap, which makes it harder to attract top international stars.
“PSL players’ salary cap should be $5–6 million,” Sarwar said, adding that such an increase is possible even with a draft-based system.
Sarwar’s strong remarks reflect growing frustration among new franchise owners, who feel the league needs bolder decisions to compete globally and protect its long-term future.