Boycott 2.0? Afghanistan players withdraw from PSL auction after Pakistan's backlash

Afghanistan players pull out of PSL auction in third major boycott controversy to hit South Asian cricket in weeks, following similar political fallout over Mustafizur Rahman's IPL exit.

In what is now yet another major controversy to rock cricket in South Asia in recent months, Afghanistan players have pulled out of the Pakistan Super League's inaugural player auction—a troubling pattern that suggests geopolitical tensions are increasingly dictating the region's cricketing landscape.

Top Afghan cricketers, including Mujeeb ur Rehman, Seddiqullah Atal, Mohammad Nabi, Waqar Salamkheil, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, had initially registered for Wednesday's auction in Lahore. Still, they withdrew their names ahead of the proceedings, according to a franchise owner.

The mass withdrawal follows strikingly similar controversies that have plagued the region's premier T20 leagues. Just weeks ago, the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman despite his Rs 9.20 crore signing at the December 2025 mini-auction, succumbing to intense political backlash and pressure from religious groups over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.

Now, it's Pakistan's turn to witness cricket becoming collateral damage in diplomatic disputes—and the coincidence is impossible to ignore.

The Afghan players' withdrawal came after widespread backlash over Peshawar Zalmi's direct signing of Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who subsequently pulled out of the PSL amid the controversy—a sequence eerily reminiscent of the Mustafizur saga.

PSL CEO Salman Naseer offered conflicting accounts of what transpired. While claiming that some Afghanistan players were listed in the auction pool, but no franchise selected them, he acknowledged the undeniable political reality at play.