Australian cricketer James Faulkner was on Saturday handed a life ban from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after he withdrew from the tournament, blaming the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and his franchise Quetta Gladiators for not "honouring" a contractual agreement. Taking to Twitter, Faulkner, who played six matches for the Gladiators this season, had also apologised to the Pakistan cricket fans for withdrawing from the competition. "I apologise to the Pakistan cricket fans. But unfortunately, I've had to withdraw from the last two matches and leave the PSL due to the PCB not honouring my contractual agreements/payments," Faulkner wrote in a Twitter thread.
Things became so heated, that he threw his bat and helmet from the lobby floor balcony onto a hotel chandelier after a discussion with a PCB official before leaving for the airport. He paid the hotel for damages before leaving. The PCB released a joint statement with Quetta Gladiators, calling Faulkner's allegations baseless and expressing dismay at his "reprehensible behaviour". The statement said Faulkner's agent sent UK bank account details to transfer fee payments to, before sending revised bank account details the following month, this time for a bank account in Australia. By this time, the PCB had already transferred 70% of the money owed to the players, including Faulkner. ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB told Faulkner the payment could not be made again to a different account until the initial payment was reversed. Faulkner played six PSL games this season, taking six wickets and scoring 49 runs.
