Lahore Qalandars have secured a significant addition ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League by re-signing Bangladesh’s left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. The franchise announced his return on social media, noting that Mustafizur will be under a direct contract worth Rs64.4 million, marking his anticipated reunion with the team.
Earlier, PSL management had confirmed his signing but did not specify which team he would play for. Lahore Qalandars have now completed the transfer ahead of the auction.
On their official Facebook page, the club welcomed Mustafizur back, recalling his previous stints in 2016 and 2018 with the team. “Our Bangladeshi brother, [Mustafizur], picked in 2016 and 2018, is now our direct signing and finally back with the family,” it read.
Mustafizur had recently been dropped from Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad due to pressure from the Indian government. Following this, Bangladesh Cricket Board decided not to play T20 World Cup matches in India for security concerns, leading the ICC to replace Bangladesh with Scotland.
Pakistan criticized the decision as a double standard and announced its boycott of the World Cup match against India.
Mustafizur previously played for Lahore Qalandars between 2016 and 2018. The club now views his return not just as a professional move, but also an emotional reunion, with Mustafizur being described as like a brother and family member to the franchise.
Lahore Qalandars’ management expressed confidence that Mustafizur’s skill set and proven T20 performances would significantly bolster the team’s bowling attack. They believe this will be crucial in their pursuit of the PSL title.
Interestingly, while Bangladeshi players Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Irshad Hussain were part of last season’s Qalandars squad, Mustafizur Rahman is now the only signing from that country. This move has left fans optimistic about the team’s strong bowling unit for the upcoming season.