ISLAMABAD (AP) – A Pakistani club has signed the Bangladeshi fast bowler whose expulsion from the Indian Premier League sparked a Twenty20 World Cup crisis.
Lahore Qalandars have signed Mustafizur Rahman for $230,000 in a draft that allows Pakistan Super League franchises to select one player before the February 11 auction.
Mustafizur was acquired by the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders for $1 million, but on January 3, the Board of Control for Cricket in India ordered Kolkata to release Mustafizur without public explanation amid tensions in the region.
This infuriated Bangladesh, and the Cricket Board requested that the T20 World Cup matches be moved from India to co-host Sri Lanka, citing “safety concerns”. The International Cricket Council rejected this, denied the reason and excluded Bangladesh from the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, which supported Bangladesh, accused the ICC of double standards and the government ordered Pakistan not to play India in the T20 World Cup, which begins on Saturday. The Pakistan vs India match generates huge amounts of money for the ICC.
Mustafizur was Lahore’s third draft pick since the PSL’s inception in 2016.
“If it was once a Qalandar, it always will be a Qalandar,” Lahore owner Sameen Rana said in a statement. “Mustafizur is more than just a player. He is a brother and an important part of our family that has never left us… His talent, experience and dedication will be invaluable as we aim to defend our title.”
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