The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is reported to be unlikely to allow Stokes to participate in overseas cricket competitions, which will create an administrative hurdle for the all-rounder next season.
The former England Test captain has spoken to teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States about potentially signing in next season, The Guardian reports. But the ECB is said to be hesitant to provide the necessary No-Objection Certificate (NOC) in the absence of Stokes who is registered with Durham.
Stokes’ main deal with the ECB comes to an end at the end of September, after he retired from internationals cricket in June. Although he is not in the international system anymore, the governing body still has an influence on him being able to play in foreign leagues through the NOC system.
It could therefore make it more difficult for Stokes to look into some of his options in franchise cricket in other countries.
As per the existing ECB policy, players whose contract is still valid to play in a domestic tournament can be denied NOCs if there is an overseas tournament taking place at the same time. The Indian Premier League is accorded a special status in the present scenario.
Stokes has also been a prominent figure in other major T20 tournaments and has made a name for himself globally in the world of T20 cricket. If he does make it into the PSL, it would be yet another big tournament to add to his post-international career, but that will depend on the ECB’s decision and his contract with Durham.
