Mustafizur Rahman makes the switch to Pakistan Super League after IPL expulsion, added to draft; returns after 8 years

The PSL's official social media accounts announced that Mustafizur Rahman would return to the franchise tournament after 8 years, instead of the IPL.

The Mustafizur Rahman saga continues with the Bangladesh seamer being announced as a participant in the Pakistan Super League, making the move over after being released from Kolkata Knight Riders’ team for IPL 2026. Mustafizur’s expulsion from the Indian Premier League has proven to be a massive bone of contention within an already-heated landscape in subcontinent cricket, and his signing-on for the PSL adds another chapter in a developing story.

Mustafizur Rahman has dominated airwaves after being removed from KKR's squad ahead of the IPL. (AP)

The PSL draft is set to take place on January 21, with Mustafizur marking his return to Pakistan’s franchise tournament after eight years away from the league. The Bangladesh seamer previously represented Lahore Qalandars in the PSL, and with the league clashing with the IPL, becomes one of the list of overseas players who will opt to play in that tournament ahead of the cash-rich Indian league.

"Batters better shake carefully… it's going to Fizz in the #NewEra. Mustafizur Rahman joins HBL PSL 11!" read an announcement on the PSL’s official Facebook account, confirming Mustafizur’s addition to the draft list.

Bangladesh's T20 World Cup future still in the air

Previously, KKR were asked by the BCCI to release Mustafizur from their squad in response to the communal violence taking place in Bangladesh. In response to the decision to expel Rahman from the league, Bangladesh have asked for their games in the upcoming T20 World Cup to be played in Sri Lanka, not dissimilar to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s deal to play all their games in the island nation instead of on Indian soil.

Safety concerns were cited for Bangladesh Cricket Board’s decision not to send their players for the World Cup, while the nation’s interim government also announced that the IPL’s broadcast rights will be stripped. Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi player bought in the IPL’s auction for 2026, earning a record INR 9.2 crore in the auction in December.

The PSL is set to begin on March 23rd, just three days before the IPL will begin. With two new teams joining the six legacy teams, Mustafizur will be amongst the high-demand players in the league due to his T20 experience and expertise.

Rahman and his exclusion from the IPL has become a talking point on a political level, and the situation’s development in the weeks leading up to the T20 World Cup. How the situation plays out with regard to last-minute changes in scheduling or any sanctions placed against either the BCCI or the BCB is sure to dominate the news in the lead-up.