Desk Correspondent , Australia - Australian captain Pat Cummins has strongly denied reports claiming that Australian cricketers were planning to leave the Big Bash League (BBL) for South Africa’s SA20 league. The fast bowler publicly called the reports “made up” after speculation emerged about players demanding higher salaries from Cricket Australia (CA).

Reports in Australian media claimed that Cummins was leading a group of players seeking massive pay hikes — reportedly up to AUD 1 million — to continue playing in the BBL from the 2027-28 season. It was also alleged that players could shift to SA20 if CA failed to improve contracts and provide no-objection certificates.
Reacting sharply on X, Cummins dismissed the claims and wrote, “Everything you’ve written about me in this about SA20 NOC and The Hundred offer is made up.” The reports had also stated that Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc rejected lucrative offers from The Hundred to prioritise Australia’s Test series against Bangladesh.

The controversy gained attention after Cummins earlier admitted on a podcast that Australian players often sacrifice huge franchise earnings to represent the national team. Cricket Australia officials have also acknowledged the growing financial pressure from leagues like SA20 and The Hundred.

Cummins’ strong response has now shut down rumours of Australian players threatening to leave the BBL. While franchise leagues continue to challenge international cricket financially, the Australian skipper’s statement reaffirmed his commitment to national cricket over speculation surrounding overseas tournaments.