Lahore Qalandars sign Mustafizur Rahman ahead of PSL 11

Defending champions Lahore Qalandars on Thursday announced Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman as their direct signing ahead of the historic 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 3.

The announcement was made on the franchise’s official social media handles, confirming the return of Rahman, who had previously represented the team. The post also revealed that his direct signing fee is PKR 64.4 million.

"Our Bangladeshi brother, Mustafizur Rahman, picked in 2016 and 2018, is now our direct signing and finally back with the family. Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar," the post read.

Lahore Qalandars’ owner, Sameen Rana, expressed his excitement over Rahman’s return, highlighting the pacer’s long-standing connection with the franchise and his importance to the team’s ambitions for PSL 11.

“Once a Qalandar, always a Qalandar. Mustafizur is not just a player; he’s a brother, a key part of our family who never left,” said Rana.

“We are thrilled to welcome him back to our dressing room. His talent, experience, and dedication will be invaluable as we aim to defend our title and make a statement in PSL 11,” he added.

The Qalandars have already retained key players, including captain Shaheen Afridi, top-order batsman Abdullah Shafique, dynamic all-rounder Sikandar Raza and promising youngster Mohammad Naeem. 

These strategic retentions strengthen the team’s core ahead of the upcoming auction and set the stage for another competitive campaign.

Shaheen Afridi has been retained in the Platinum category with a fee of PKR 70 million, while Abdullah Shafique, in the Diamond category, will earn PKR 22 million. 

Sikandar Raza, retained in the Gold category, secured PKR 28 million, whereas Mohammad Naeem, selected from the Emerging category, will receive PKR 7 million.

For the upcoming auction, franchises have been allotted a total budget of PKR 450 million. So far, the Qalandars have spent PKR 191.4 million on their retained players and direct signing.

The left-arm speedster has played five PSL matches for the three-time champions and picked up four wickets.

It is pertinent to mention that the upcoming edition will also witness a major expansion, with the PSL growing from six to eight teams. 

Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallionz are the newest additions and will make their debut in the forthcoming season.

The Hyderabad franchise was acquired by Fawad Sarwar, who secured ownership after placing a successful bid of Rs 1.75 billion (approximately $6.25 million). 

Meanwhile, the Sialkot Stallionz franchise was won by Hamza Majeed, who topped the auction with a bid of Rs 1.85 billion to lead the team in their inaugural PSL campaign.

For the unversed, the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League will kick off on March 26 and conclude on May 3.