The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) can sustain another major blow ahead of their opening match of the season, which is set to be held on March 26 at the Gaddafi Stadium.
According to fresh reports, Sri Lankan international Dasun Shanaka is all set to skip the tournament to join the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026), which will start from March 28. If the reports are to be believed, then the Lankan star could play in the PSL and the IPL.
For the upcoming Pakistan Super League season, Lahore Qalandars signed the pace-bowling all-rounder from the players’ auction. If Dasun Shanaka officially decides to pull himself out of the tournament, then the PSL team will be hit by a major blow, and for the league, it will be another instance when a star player prioritizes IPL over PSL.
Your daily dose of cricket!
List of star players who rejected playing in PSL 2026
Multiple overseas cricketers pulled themselves out of the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League. One of the stars is the Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani, who left PSL to play for the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Harry Brook, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Faf du Plessis, David Wiese, Tymal Mills, Mujeeb-Ur Rehman, Mohammad Nabi, and Fazalhaq Farooqi are the other key players who either withdrew or rejected playing in the PSL 2026 season.
Which IPL team can sign Dasun Shanaka for the IPL 2026 season?
Dasun Shanaka is rumored to join the Indian Premier League. Previously, the Sri Lankan international went unsold in the mini auction, which was held ahead of the IPL 2026 season. During the auction, one franchise showed interest in the all-rounder. As of now, it is unclear which IPL franchise is set to secure his services.
Before the beginning of the IPL 2026, multiple injury concerns took the headlines. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is arguably facing the worst scenario because of back-to-back injuries. Key players like Harshit Rana and Akash Deep are ruled out of the tournament because of injuries. Matheesha Pathirana is uncertain, as the pacer is yet to receive a No Objection Certificate from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
A few others also claim that Chennai Super Kings has a keen interest in the South African pacer Ottniel Baartman as the replacement of injured Aussie seamer Nathan Ellis. Baartman has officially withdrawn from the PSL 2026 season.
Dasun Shanaka was in fine form against Pakistan
Shanaka last featured for the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team during a tournament against Pakistan. In February in Pallekele, the 34-year-old scored an unbeaten 76 with the bat and took a couple of wickets for 42 runs.
Dasun Shanaka had a brief stint in both IPL and PSL. In the Indian Premier League, the Lankan cricketer played only three matches for the Gujarat Titans in 2023, and participated in 2 matches only for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2022-23 season.
Read More: “Respect without….”: CSK star drops bold comment on MS Dhoni ahead of IPL 2026
