PSL 2022: James Faulkner withdraws participation with immediate effect citing contractual and payment issues

The ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 has neared its business end with three teams vying for a playoff spot. Quetta Gladiators are also one of the sides who are trying their level best to consolidate a knockout berth. However, the franchise has received a huge blow ahead of the final league phase of the tournament as one of their star players has decided to withdraw from the competition with immediate effect.

The player who has backed out at the very last minute is Australian all-rounder James Faulkner. The 31-year-old has announced that he would be taking no further part in PSL 2022 and has blamed the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not honoring his contractual as well as financial obligations. The Gladiators’ chances of making it to the playoffs are bleak this time around.

James Faulkner leaves the tournament midway

Taking to the micro-blogging site, James Faulkner issued an apology to the Pakistan cricket fans and then went on to announce that he has officially decided to exit from the last two matches and leave PSL season seven as PCB has not honored his contractual agreement/payments. The left-arm pacer also added that despite him being around for the whole duration, the concerned authorities have continued to lie to him.

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I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans.
But unfortunately I’ve had to withdraw from the last 2 matches and leave the @thePSLt20 due to the @TheRealPCB not honouring my contractual agreement/payments.
I’ve been here the whole duration and they have continued to lie to me.

— James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) February 19, 2022

In another tweet, the bowling all-rounder mentioned that it hurts to leave as he wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing but unfortunately, the treatment that he received from both PCB and PSL has been a disgrace.

“I’m sure you all understand my position”, the tweet read.

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It hurts to leave as I wanted to help to get international cricket back in Pakistan as there is so much young talent and the fans are amazing.
But the treatment I have received has been a disgrace from the @TheRealPCB and @thePSLt20

I’m sure you all understand my position.

— James Faulkner (@JamesFaulkner44) February 19, 2022

The Quetta Gladiators are currently languishing at the fifth spot in the PSL 2022 points table having managed just three wins from their nine games with six points to their tally with a negative net run rate of -0.917. They will be playing their final league fixture against the bottom-placed Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 20. The Gladiators had suffered a humiliating 117-run defeat against the defending champions Multan Sultans in their previous encounter.