Lahore Qalandars Sign Mustafizur Rahman for PSL 11

Lahore, Pakistan – Lahore Qalandars announced on Thursday the direct signing of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League, securing the left-arm pacer on a two-year contract worth 6.44 million Pakistani rupees, approximately 230,000 U.S. dollars.

The move brings Rahman back to the franchise for a third time, following previous stints in 2016 and 2018. He was originally selected in 2016 but missed the season due to a shoulder injury. In 2018, he played five matches, taking four wickets at an economy rate of 6.43 runs per over. Rahman, 30, registered for the PSL draft in January after his release from the Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders squad. KKR had acquired him for 9.2 million Indian rupees in a December mini-auction, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India instructed the team to let him go last month amid strained diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh.

The release stemmed from reports of attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, which heightened tensions between the two nations. The Bangladesh Cricket Board expressed outrage over the decision, leading to a ban on IPL broadcasts...