After Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani, another cricketer has opted to skip the Pakistan Super League (PSL). West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie pulled out of PSL citing fatigue after a delayed return to his country after the 2026 T20 World Cup in India. The defending champions, Lahore Qalandars, secured Motie’s services after shelling out PKR 1.10 crore (approx. INR ₹32 lakh) in the auction. However, he will skip PSL and is rumoured to feature in the India Premier League (IPL). Let’s take a detailed look at the prospects of Gudakesh Motie in IPL and the reasons behind his withdrawal from PSL.
Why Gudakesh Motie Pulled Out of PSL?
Gudakesh Motie was the West Indies’ joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2026 T20 World Cup with 10 wickets in seven games at an economy of 7.86. The Caribbean side couldn’t prevail over India in a virtual quarterfinal at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and faced an exit from the tournament. However, the West Indies were stranded in Kolkata because of the crisis in West Asia and were unable to secure flights home due to airspace closures. They stayed for around 10 days in India before boarding commercial flights. Along with the West Indies, semifinalists South Africa were also held in India.
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Hence, Gudakesh Motie pulled out of PSL due to mental fatigue and late return to his home, erupted by travel chaos. While there has been no official note from him over his withdrawal, the prolonged stay in India is likely to be the primary reason. PSL will begin from March 26, which means the 30-year-old should have joined the team camp by now. However, he is said to have intimated the Lahore Qalandars management about his decision a few days ago.
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According to ESPNCricinfo, the Qalandars management has called up Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage as Motie’s replacement. Wellalage bagged eight wickets in 2026 T20 World Cup at an economy of 7.22, and can be a useful operator with the bat as well. If the reports are true, the 23-year-old will join his captain, Dasun Shanaka in the Lahore Qalandars camp. The franchise also snapped Shanaka for PKR 75 Lakh in the auction.
Gudakesh Motie Is Rumoured to Join LSG in IPL
According to rumours, Gudakesh Motie in IPL could be a reality as he is expected to fill in for Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2026 edition. LSG bought Hasaranga for INR 2 crore in the IPL 2026 auction and was the team’s key spin weapon along with Digvesh Rathi. However, he sustained a left hamstring injury during Sri Lanka’s opening game of the T20 World Cup against Ireland. Although, he was impressive with figures of 3/25, the injury resulted in him getting ruled out of the marquee event.
As the injury is serious and Hasaranga needs more time to recover, there are now reports of the entry of Gudakesh Motie in IPL. Last year’s mega auction saw Motie going unsold at his base price of INR 75 Lakh. Motie has featured in 120 T20 games and scalped 131 wickets at an economy of 7.59, with best figures of 5/21. He is an experienced campaigner and can handle tough situations, having done well for the West Indies in the T20 World Cup.
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On rank turners like Ekana Stadium, the left-right combo of Motie and Rathi could be too much to handle for the opposition side. Their eight overs will give the Super Giants a strong chance of containing runs and securing consistent breakthroughs in the middle overs. With an impressive T20 World Cup campaign and experience in the shortest format, Gudakesh Motie could make his entry into the IPL.
