For several years, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has clashed with the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Players without IPL contracts often join the PSL instead.
Former England cricketer Moeen Ali is one of these players. He entered the PSL auction and skipped the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Previously, he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹2 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction but played only six matches, taking just six wickets.
Moeen recently explained why he chose PSL over IPL for 2026. At 38, he wants to extend his career and play more games. He also mentioned that Karachi is a key location for him, as the shorter competition suits his family life better.
Last year in IPL, he played only half the matches and hardly got to bat. He feels he’s performing well late in his career and wants to keep playing.
While PSL isn’t guaranteed, Moeen prefers to enjoy his cricket there. He’s always wanted to experience PSL but regretted its timing clash with IPL.
So far this season for Karachi Kings, Moeen has taken four wickets and scored 132 runs, including a half-century. In IPL, he has played 73 matches, scoring 1167 runs and taking 41 wickets.
Moeen is not alone in preferring PSL over IPL. Recently, Australian cricketer Adam Zampa also chose PSL for similar reasons, stating financial and time-related challenges with IPL.
On the flip side, some players have left PSL to join IPL. For example, South Africa’s Corbin Bosch withdrew from PSL last year to play in IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians. Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani also left his PSL contract this year to play for KKR in IPL.
However, these decisions come with consequences. Bosch was banned from PSL for one year, and Muzarabani faces a two-year ban.