England batter James Vince has opted to take a break from red-ball cricket in order to be eligible to play the forthcoming season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Vince was retained by the Karachi Kings as a diamond pick, but his participation in the competition was doubtful owing to the England and Wales Cricket Board’s revised policy, which said that it wouldn’t grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to players who held a red-ball contract with their state.
The board did, however, make it clear that it would grant NOCs to players who held a white-ball-only contract, provided that the league they’re seeking NOC for does not clash with the T20 Blast or The Hundred.
Therefore, to make himself eligible for the NOC, Vince has stepped down as Hampshire’s red-ball skipper and moved to a white-ball-only contract with the state.
“James has been at the heart of the Club for the best part of 20-years, showing absolute commitment on and off the field as the team’s leading batter and captain. We recognise that this announcement will be tinged with disappointment for many fans but hope everyone will join us in celebrating what he has given to our Club over many years and supporting him as he fulfils his commitment to continue leading the Hawks in the 2025 Vitality Blast,” Giles White, Hampshire’s Director of Men's Cricket, said.
It is worth noting that Vince, 33, has permanently shifted base to Dubai and resides in the Middle East now.
“I love Hampshire, it’s been my club and home for 16 years, so I want to be able to maintain my best to keep delivering for Hampshire in T20 cricket, and hopefully even further our success in the competition,” Vince said.
“I also need to understand what is best for my family, and combine that with the stage of my career I am at. I am so grateful to everyone at Utilita Bowl for supporting me last year through a really tough time, and for allowing me to make this next step.”
The 33-year-old will continue to represent Hampshire in T20 cricket and will, in fact, captain the side in the 2025 T20 Blast.
Vince has represented England in all three formats but has not played for the national side since March 2023. He has a stellar red-ball record too, having smashed 13,340 runs at an average of 40, posting 30 red-ball hundreds.