Bangladesh Star Mustafizur Rahman, Axed By IPL, Joins This Pakistan Super League Side For Rs 2 Crore
A Pakistan club has signed the Bangladesh fast bowler whose removal from the Indian Premier League sparked the crisis at the T20 World Cup
- Lahore Qalandars signed Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for $230,000
- Mustafizur was initially bought for INR 9.20 crore by IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders
- BCCI ordered Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur on January 3
A Pakistan club has signed the Bangladesh fast bowler whose removal from the Indian Premier League sparked the crisis at the 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 Feb. 11 auction. Mustafizur was bought for $1 million by the IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders, but on Jan. 3 the Board of Control for Cricket in India ordered Kolkata to release him without a public explanation, amid regional tensions.
That decision outraged Bangladesh, and the cricket board asked to shift its T20 World Cup games from India to co-host Sri Lanka, citing "security concerns." The International Cricket Council refused, rejected the reasoning, and removed Bangladesh from the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, which backed Bangladesh, accused the ICC of double standards, and the Pakistan government ordered its team not to play India in the T20 World Cup, which starts on Saturday. Pakistan-India matches are huge money-spinners for the ICC.
Mustafizur was drafted by Lahore for the third time since the PSL began 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."
Mustafizur Rahman
India Cricket Team
Lahore Qalandars
Kolkata Knight Riders
Bangladesh Cricket Team