Following Alex Hales, more England players likely to opt for PSL over national duty

Alex Hales is reportedly set to miss England's tour of Bangladesh to feature in the upcoming Pakistan Super League for Islamabad United, who bought him as a platinum pick for INR 1.5 crore. The 2023 edition of the league is set to run between February 13 to March 19, while England will be playing three ODIs and T20Is each in Bangladesh from March 1 to 14.

Along with After Hales, three more players, Lahore Qalandars’ Sam Billings and Liam Dawson and Karachi Kings’ James Vince, are likely to participate in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) instead of opting for national duty.

The opening ceremony of PSL 8 will be held in Multan on February 13 prior to the tournament opener between 2021 winners Multan Sultans and defending champions Lahore Qalandars. Meanwhile, the closing ceremony and final will be played on March 19 in Lahore, which will also host play-offs.

“Alex Hales will not be included in the squad for Bangladesh as he is set to remain at the Pakistan Super League where he has a lucrative deal. It is understood Sam Billings, Liam Dawson and James Vince will do the same,” the report stated by GeoSuper.

England set to play against Bangladesh in March

“England are happy for their non-contracted players to pursue franchise opportunities with the likes of Billings, Dawson, and Vince having spent plenty of time around the England setup since 2015, without being regulars in the XI.

“Players opting not to play for England has raised further questions over England’s contracting structures and, with franchises increasingly powerful, whether greater weight should be given to tour and match fees (currently around INR 5,00,000 and INR 2,50,000 for ODIs and T20Is respectively) rather than retainers.” the report said.

As a result, England’s upcoming series against Bangladesh is likely to result in a patchwork squad that features fringe players coupled with established internationals with some new faces sprinkled in. Talking about Hales, he made his comeback for the Three Lions in the 2022 20-20 World Cup as an injury replacement for Jonny Bairstow. He proved his worth by scoring 212 runs at an average of 42.40 and played a crucial role in England’s World Cup triumph.