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Pakistan’s Super League moves to sign Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman after both countries’ T20 dispute with India.
Published On 5 Feb 2026
A Pakistan cricket club has signed the Bangladesh fast bowler whose removal from the Indian Premier League (IPL) sparked a crisis at the Twenty20 (T20) World Cup.
Lahore Qalandars signed Mustafizur Rahman for $230,000 in a draft that allows Pakistan Super League franchises to select one player before the February 11 auction.
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Mustafizur was bought for $1m by the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, but on January 3, the Board of Control for Cricket in India ordered Kolkata to release Mustafizur without a public explanation but amid regional tensions.
That outraged Bangladesh, and its cricket board asked to shift its T20 World Cup games from India to co-host Sri Lanka because of “security concerns.” The International Cricket Council (ICC) refused, rejected the reason, and cut Bangladesh from the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, which supported Bangladesh, accused the ICC of double standards, and its government ordered Pakistan not to play India in the T20 World Cup that starts on Saturday. Pakistan-India matches are huge money-spinners for the ICC.
Mustafizur was drafted by Lahore for a third time since the PSL started in 2016.
“Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar,” Lahore owner Sameen Rana said in a statement. “Mustafizur is not just a player; he’s a brother, a key part of our family who never left … his talent, experience, and dedication will be invaluable as we aim to defend our title.”
