New Delhi: Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman has joined the Pakistan Super League after being removed from IPL following BCCI directives. Pakistanis are overjoyed. They are calling it a “masterstroke”.
Rahman, who was picked up by SRK’s KKR, was removed in a widely criticised and debated move, with the BCCI saying it was done because of the “developments all around”. India-Bangladesh relations have been in a freefall since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. The strain in ties also witnessed an anti-India tirade last month following the killing of a political leader, Sharif Osman Hadi, which saw India being blamed.
In contrast, Pakistan has been warming up with Bangladesh.
PSL’s announcement came less than 48 hours after Rahman’s removal. In a flamboyant post on X, it said: “Batters better shake carefully… its going to Fizz in the #NewEra. Mustafizur Rahman joins HBL PSL 11!”
The Bangladeshi pacer’s exit from IPL was much debated in India. Following his removal, the Bangladesh Cricket Board also asked for Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches to be shifted from India to Sri Lanka. In a statement, the board said that “no logical reason” was given for Rahman’s removal from the squad. Simultaneously, the interim administration on Monday banned any IPL telecast on Bangladeshi channels.
In Pakistan, meanwhile, the pacer’s entry is being widely appreciated. “A league everyone can call home,” a Pakistani X account wrote.
Another simply said, “If IPL couldn’t, PSL will”.
Then there were metaphors. One user, Muskaan, chose the lyrics of the popular Pakistani song Wo Humsafar Tha to make her point — “bicharne walay mai sb kuch tha bewafayi na thi”.
The lyrics were originally penned by Pakistani poet Naseer Turabi after the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.
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Not the first gig
Rahman, a left-arm fast-medium bowler, is known for his slower cutters. He holds the record for the most wickets taken in the death overs of T20Is for Bangladesh. The cricketer shot to fame during the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League, where his slow deliveries earned him the nickname ‘The Fizz’.
He made his international debut in a T20 match against Pakistan in 2015, where he was put in the spotlight after dismissing Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez.
Rahman’s IPL journey began in 2016 after he was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad. In that season, he claimed 17 wickets in 16 matches and played a key role in the team’s title-winning campaign, earning the Emerging Player of the Tournament award. He was the first overseas player to do so.
In subsequent IPL auctions, Mustafizur was signed by Mumbai Indians in 2018, Rajasthan Royals in 2021, and Delhi Capitals in 2022. He later played for Chennai Super Kings in the 2024 season. Delhi Capitals have earlier included him in their squad for IPL 2025 as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk.
This is not Rahman’s first PSL gig either. He was selected to play for the league’s Lahore Qalandars in 2016. However, concerns from the Bangladesh Cricket Board initially delayed his participation, and a shoulder injury ultimately ruled him out of that season.
In joining PSL, Rahman joins the league of players like David Warner and Faf du Plessis who played in PSL after appearing in IPL. South African cricketer Plessis opted out of the IPL auction and returned to PSL having played for Peshawar Zalmi earlier.
Australian David Warner also made his PSL debut in 2025 as the captain of Karachi Kings after being left unsold in IPL. He was the most expensive player in PSL 2025.
The 2025 season of PSL, held in Lahore, saw three Bangladeshi cricketers — Nahid Rana, Rishad Hossain, and Liton Das — being picked by different franchises.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)