New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) With diplomatic relations between neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan at a low because of recent air strikes across the border, the Afghan government has refused to give NOC to its players to play in the Pakistan Super League, dealing another blow to the country's cricket establishment, a news report said on Saturday.
The Afghan government has decided not to allow its players to participate in the PSL following last month's air strikes by Pakistan in Afghan strongholds across the border in December, Telecom Asia Sport said in a report.
The news came on a day when dashing Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz withdrew from the Pakistan Super League, a day after the Peshawar Zalmi franchise announced he was signed directly for an unknown sum of money, the report said.
According to the report, the PSL has increased the salary cap of the teams to 50 crore, making it an attractive proposition for players, after two new teams - Hyderabad and Sialkot - were added for the 11th edition, which starts from March 26. All teams have the right to sign one player directly with four retentions ahead of the February 11 auction- the first for PSL.
Last year, Afghanistan pulled out of a tri-series after three local players were killed in an air strike it blamed Pakistan for.
The current freeze in Pak-Afghan relations has already claimed one casualty in cricket when Afghanistan pulled out of a Tri-Nation T20 series in Pakistan. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said it withdrew from November's tri-nation T20 series out of respect for three cricketers, who died in the air strikes.
The ACB named the three players killed in the air strikes as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah and Haroon, calling their deaths "a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family".
Pakistan questioned what the three players, who did not play for the national team, were doing at a terrorist den they attacked on information. The strike hit a home in the Urgon district in Paktika province, where the players were eating dinner after a match.
Pakistan denied that it attacked civilians or players, but Afghanistan has refused to accept that. Both countries were also engaged in dialogue, which failed last year.
Gurbaz is one of the most sought-after Afghan cricketers in franchise leagues, having featured in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), SA20 and ILT20.
The 24-year-old had also played three PSL seasons, representing Multan Sultans in 2021, while his remaining two stints came with three-time champions Islamabad United in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
In a social media post, Gurbaz regretted his withdrawal, which he termed was due to “personal reasons.” The Telecom Asia Report, however, said PSL officials have denied that Gurbaz has withdrawn from the league.
Four Afghanistan players - Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, AM Ghazanfar and Azmatullah Omarzai -- will feature in the Indian Premier League this year. Ten other Afghan players had registered for IPL, but none were bought in the high-profile auction.
--IANS
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