KEY POINTS
- Mustafizur’s signing follows his sudden release from the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders.
- Deal was enabled by new PSL rules allowing one direct foreign signing per franchise.
ISLAMABAD: Lahore Qalandars have secured the services of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman through a direct signing for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the franchise announced on Thursday.
The franchise reportedly invested over 6.44 crore Pakistani Rupees (approx. $230,000) to secure the left-arm pacer.
Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar
The announcement was made on the franchise’s official social media account, which welcomed back the bowler who had previously represented them in 2016 and 2018.
Fizzzzzz 💚
Our Bangladeshi brother, @Mustafiz90, picked in 2016 and 2018, is now our direct signing and finally back with the family. Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar. 🫂
Amount spent on DS: PKR 6.44 Crore 💰#Number1TeamForAReason #QalandarDilSe pic.twitter.com/rLMTJB6ybh
— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) February 5, 2026
“Our Bangladeshi brother, Mustafizur, is now our direct signing and finally back with the family. Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar,” the post stated, confirming the significant financial outlay.
Signing follows IPL release amid political tensions
Mustafizur’s availability came after a sudden release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he had been bought for 9.2 crore Indian Rupees in December’s auction. KKR’s decision followed instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
This move occurred against a backdrop of diplomatic strain between India and Bangladesh, linked to reports of communal tensions.
In response, Bangladesh had banned IPL broadcasts, and its cricket board had unsuccessfully petitioned the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its T20 World Cup matches away from India, a request that led to Bangladesh’s replacement by Scotland in the global tournament.
New PSL rules facilitate major signing
The Qalandars’ direct signing was made possible by a recent overhaul of the PSL’s player acquisition system.
For PSL 11, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) replaced the traditional draft with a full auction and increased each franchise’s salary purse to $1.6 million.
A key feature of the new rules allows each team one direct signing of a foreign player who did not participate in the previous season, providing franchises greater flexibility to target specific international stars.
Boost for Qalandars and PSL 11
The purchase of Mustafizur, renowned for his deceptive variations and death-overs prowess, significantly strengthens the Qalandars’ bowling attack.
With over 60 IPL wickets and extensive T20 experience globally, his addition is a major coup for the two-time champions.
The 11th edition of the PSL is scheduled to commence on March 26.
The season will also see the expansion of the league’s hosting footprint, with Faisalabad returning as a venue alongside Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi.
