Leagues are no doubt lucrative; it doesn't matter which country is hosting it. But when it comes to competitions between the leagues themselves, players have to choose. For the 2026 session, the Pakistan Super League and the Indian Premier League have overlapped for some reason, and players had to choose. Otherwise, the doors might get closed for them. Whether it is a trend by now or not is not certain, but players, rather elderly players, are now signing off from the IPL and enlisting themselves in the PSL for the 2026 session. Who chose PSL by choice 1 | Faf du Plessis: Few names carry as much weight in T20 franchise cricket as Faf du Plessis. He used to be an opening beast for Chennai Super Kings, partnering with Shane Watson in his early days and then Ruturaj Gaikwad. After 14 seasons in the IPL — turning out for stables like Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore and spending his last few day with Delhi capitals— Du Plessis announced he would not enter the 2026 IPL auction; instead, he committed to PSL. It's not that he never played in the PSL. However, his records there are not as fascinating as in IPL. The decision followed his release by his last IPL franchise, marking a natural endpoint for a long IPL career. In his retirement from IPL-auctions statement, Du Plessis framed the move as embracing “a new challenge” — signalling PSL not out of necessity, but as a considered career decision. For PSL, landing a name like Du Plessis is a statement: it sends a message that the league can attract big-name talent even without relying on IPL leftovers. 2 | Moeen Ali Close on Du Plessis’s heels, Moeen Ali — another veteran with substantial global and IPL experience — opted for PSL 2026 rather than participating in the IPL auction. Having been a recognizable all-rounder for top franchises earlier, Moeen’s move underscores that PSL is increasingly being seen as a viable home for seasoned players who want to keep playing high-level T20. This spells a subtle but critical shift: for some, PSL is no longer a fallback — it's a strategic choice. Well both Ali and Fad dP chose the Pakistan Super League. They had no directobligations to get themselves registered there, like many do. Who ended up in PSL out of necessity in 2025 — “the fallback brigade” Not all PSL entrants come by choice. For many, it’s the only realistic T20 option left after a failed IPL auction or release. 1 | David Warner The Australian opener, who once led Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final, stabilized Delhi Capitals' opening partnership—that David Warner went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Soon after that, he go picked by the Karachi Kings in PSL, who appoint him the captain. 2 | Sikander Raza A former PBKS player, who represents Zimbabwe as his national side, the Pakistan-born Sikandar Raza went unsold in 2025 IPL. And then he recommitted to PSL drafts of the Lahore Qalandars. 3 | Alzarri Joseph Alzarri Joseph represented RCB in 2024, and played IPl for at least three years. However, none raised the bid in 2025 Mega action for the West Indies pacer. He then moved to Peshawar Zalmi for PSL 2025 — framed in reporting as a practical move to keep T20 momentum. Read also: IPL 2026: Was RR Wrong to Release Wanindu Hasaranga Ahead of the Auction? Top 4 players who risked PSL to chose IPL in 2025 But the story doesn’t end with PSL signings. 2025 saw a wave of players who pulled out of PSL partway — to join or return to IPL as replacements. That jump often triggered serious consequences 1 | Corbin Bosch Mumbai Indians has their teams almost in every league, and it offers security to players. In such a case, the South Africa pacer Corbin Bosch could not turn down the offer. Well, Bosch was already in a PSL draft , being picked in the Diamond category. Meanwhile, he got a call from the Mumbai franchise as a replacement player. He left PSL midway, due to which he was given legal notice and was banned for a year from the league. 2 | Mitchell (Mitch) Owen Mitchell Owen joined the Punjab Kings in the 2025 IPL in the middle as a replacement player, as Glenn Maxwell had injured his finger. By that time, Owen was already playing for Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL. Well, PBKS retained Owen for the 2026 season. 3. Kyle Jamieson The New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson had a short PSL run for the Quetta Gladiators but was signed by Punjab Kings in 2025 as a replacement for Lockie Ferguson. Kyle had played the last leg of the tournament and had even played the final match against RCB. 4 | Kusal Mendis The Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis had been playing for the Quetta Gladiators and scored 143 runs in five PSL matches at a strike rate of 168.23. Citing “safety concerns” and the opportunity to replace Jos Buttler in GT for the IPL playoffs, Mendis opted out of the remainder of the PSL. What changed in 2025? The structural reasons behind this “option vs desperation” dynamic For the first time, PSL’s 2025 window was moved to April–May, overlapping directly with the IPL calendar (March–May). Even though the primary reason given by the board was mainly their packed international schedule, but it made cricketers desperately choose between the two, and not wait for a rejection. For international veterans, who might feel their time might have ended with IPL may chose PSL as a safe option.