Afghanistan players withdraw from Pakistan Super League auction; here's why

Afghanistan cricketers pulled retired of the archetypal Players' Auction held up of the 11th variation of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), amid tensions linked to the signing of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and the broader diplomatic concern betwixt the 2 countries.Players including Mujeeb ur Rehman, Seddiqullah Atal, Muhammad Nabi, Waqar Salamkheil and Fazal Haq Farooqi had registered for the auction conducted successful Lahore connected Wednesday, quality bureau PTI reported.However, the players aboriginal withdrew their names pursuing backlash implicit the nonstop signing of Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz by Peshawar Zalmi.PSL CEO Salman Naseer said that immoderate Afghanistan players were portion of the auction excavation but were not picked by immoderate franchise."They were a fewer Afghanistan players successful the auction but nary franchise went for them," Naseer said, arsenic cited by PTI.He added that the strained relations betwixt Pakistan and Afghanistan had an interaction connected the situation."There was a terrible backlash aft Zalmi signed Gurbaz due to the fact that of the fractured relations betwixt Pakistan and Afghanistan, and aft Gurbaz pulled himself retired of the PSL. So, the different players besides decided amended to debar backlash," helium said.

Relations betwixt the 2 countries person been tense since precocious past year, erstwhile the Pakistan subject carried retired aerial attacks successful selected areas of Afghanistan, stating it was targeting militants.Several Afghanistan players criticised the Pakistan authorities connected societal media, drafting responses from Pakistan-based accounts.Gurbaz has antecedently played 3 PSL seasons. He represented Multan Sultans successful 2021 and Islamabad United successful 2022 and 2023. Across 15 matches, helium scored 318 runs astatine a onslaught complaint of 159.79, including 1 half-century. He had besides registered for the 2026 IPL auction but remained unsold.