ISLAMABAD: Lahore Qalandars have signed Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz as a replacement for Sikandar Raza for the playoff stage of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has issued Mehidy a No Objection Certificate (NOC), and he is expected to arrive in Lahore by Tuesday.
The PSL playoffs are set to commence on Wednesday, with Qalandars due to play in the Eliminator on Thursday. Their opponent has yet to be confirmed.
Speaking to the media, Mehidy shared his excitement about the opportunity, even if it means playing in just one fixture.
“Of course, I’m thrilled to be joining Lahore Qalandars,” said Mehidy. “It’s technically my second call-up to a franchise league. Regardless, it’s a fantastic chance for me to compete at a high level. The PSL is one of the top tournaments globally. I’ve performed well previously in the BPL, so I’m confident I can make a strong contribution.”
Return to international squad
The all-rounder also expressed his intention to use this opportunity to push for a return to Bangladesh’s T20 International squad.
He is currently not part of the team touring the UAE for a T20I series, nor the upcoming five-match T20I series in Pakistan.
“I want to bring myself up to standard in T20 cricket so that I’m ready when selection chances arise,” he added. “It’s definitely a goal of mine to return to the Bangladesh T20I side, and this stint could help me develop further in the format.”
At Qalandars, Mehidy will reunite with long-time national team-mate Shakib Al Hasan.
Previously, the Qalandars briefly brought Sikandar Raza back after the league resumed following a break caused by border tensions between India and Pakistan.
However, Raza only featured in one match before departing to join Zimbabwe’s squad for a one-off four-day Test against England at Trent Bridge.
With David Wiese and Sam Billings unavailable for the remainder of the tournament, Qalandars also called up former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
Shakib’s dismissal
Shakib made his PSL Season 10 debut for the Qalandars on Sunday but had a difficult outing—he was dismissed for a golden duck and went wicketless, conceding 18 runs in two overs against Peshawar Zalmi.
Before his arrival, fellow Bangladesh players Rishad Hossain (Qalandars), Nahid Rana, and Litton Das (Karachi Kings) had already featured in this season’s competition. Litton, however, withdrew due to injury.
Despite Shakib’s struggles, the Qalandars managed to keep their playoff hopes alive with a 26-run victory in a rain-affected 13-over match in Rawalpindi.
Fakhar Zaman starred with a blistering 60 off 36 balls, helping Qalandars post 149/8.
Zalmi, chasing a target of 150, stumbled and finished on 123/8, with Daniel Sams unbeaten on 26. The defeat knocked Peshawar out of playoff contention for the first time in PSL history.
The victory lifted Qalandars to third place on the table with 11 points from 10 matches, joining Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United, and Karachi Kings in the playoffs.
