In an effort to stem the exodus of its cricketers, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board has not mandated that the players planning to retire from international cricket, must give them a notice period of three months before.

The players will then have to wait for six months before becoming eligible for any NOCs to play in foreign leagues.

The guidelines have been issued by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in its bid to stop the premature retirement of players and their exodus to lucrative T20 domestic leagues. As per the guidelines, the players also need to play at least 80 percent of domestic matches in a season to be eligible to feature in the Lanka Premier League (LPL).

This decision came in light of the recent retirements of Danushka Gunathilaka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa retired from all forms of international cricket, while Gunathilaka, quit the Test format, to focus on white-ball cricket.

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“National players who intend to retire from national cricket should provide three months’ notice to Sri Lanka cricket of their intention to retire. Retired national players who wish to obtain ‘No Objection Certificates’ (NOCs) to play in overseas franchise leagues will only be issued to such players who have completed six months of their effective date of retirement,” the SLC said in a statement on Saturday.

“Retired national players will be considered eligible for local leagues such as the LPL, only if they have played 80% of matches in the domestic cricket competitions conducted in the season prior to the conducting of the league,” it added.

It has also been said that a concerned SLC issued the updated guidelines as it feels that many players may consider international retirement in the wake of new mandatory fitness requirements.

(PTI inputs)