Lahore Qalandars have brought back Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman as their direct signing for the upcoming 2026 Pakistan Super League, securing him on a contract worth PKR 6.44 crore. The left-armer is no stranger to the franchise, having previously been part of the Lahore setup in two earlier seasons. Although he was selected in 2016, a shoulder injury prevented him from taking the field that year. He later featured in the 2018 campaign, where he appeared in five matches and finished with four wickets while conceding runs at 6.43 per over.
“Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar. Mustafizur is not just a player; he's a brother, a key part of our family who never left. We are thrilled to welcome him back to our dressing room. His talent, experience, and dedication will be invaluable as we aim to defend our title and make a statement in PSL 11,” Sameen Rana, the Qalandars owner, said.
Notably, Qalandar had retained captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza and Mohammad Naeem earlier in the week.
The domino effect Mustafizur created
Kolkata Knight Riders bought Mustafizur for INR 9.2 crore in the IPL auction. However, due to BCCI guidelines, the three-time champions had to release the pacer, which created a massive domino effect in world cricket. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) voiced their anger following Mustafizur’s release and eventually informed ICC about their decision not travel to India for the T20 World Cup, citing security issues.
It led to Bangladesh being removed from the marquee competition, with Scotland replacing them. Their removal upset Pakistan, who now are planning to boycott the heavyweight clash against India on February 15 in the T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif has already communicated this to the cabinet, but interestingly, the PCB hasn’t informed the ICC about it.