Strained ties shadow PSL: Afghanistan players withdraw from Pakistan Super League auction after backlash

Afghanistan cricketers pulled out of the first Players' Auction held ahead of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), amid tensions linked to the signing of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and the broader diplomatic situation between the two countries.

Players including Mujeeb ur Rehman, Seddiqullah Atal, Muhammad Nabi, Waqar Salamkheil and Fazal Haq Farooqi had registered for the auction conducted in Lahore on Wednesday, news agency PTI reported.




However, the players later withdrew their names following backlash over the direct signing of Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz by Peshawar Zalmi.

PSL CEO Salman Naseer said that some Afghanistan players were part of the auction pool but were not picked by any franchise.

"They were a few Afghanistan players in the auction but no franchise went for them," Naseer said, as cited by PTI.

He added that the strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan had an impact on the situation.

"There was a severe backlash after Zalmi signed Gurbaz because of the fractured relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and after Gurbaz pulled himself out of the PSL. So, the other players also decided better to avoid backlash," he said.

Relations between the two countries have been tense since late last year, when the Pakistan military carried out aerial attacks in selected areas of Afghanistan, stating it was targeting militants.

Several Afghanistan players criticised the Pakistan government on social media, drawing responses from Pakistan-based accounts.

Gurbaz has previously played three PSL seasons. He represented Multan Sultans in 2021 and Islamabad United in 2022 and 2023. Across 15 matches, he scored 318 runs at a strike rate of 159.79, including one half-century. He had also registered for the 2026 IPL auction but remained unsold.

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.