Pakistan Cricket Board Faces Another Setback As Afghanistan Players Withdraw From PSL Auction: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again come under the scanner after Afghanistan players withdrew their names from the Player Auction for the 2026 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The auction for the 11th edition of the PSL was held on Wednesday, February 11, in Lahore.

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Afghanistan Players Withdraw From PSL Auction

According to a report by news agency PTI, star Afghan players such as Mujeeb ur Rehman, Seddiqullah Atal, Mohammad Nabi, Waqar Salamkheil, and Fazal Haq Farooqi pulled themselves out of the T20 franchise league. A franchise owner confirmed this to PTI.

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PSL CEO Denies Claims Of Afghan Players Withdrawing From Auction

However, PSL CEO Salman Naseer denied claims that Afghan players had withdrawn from the auction. He stated that a few Afghan players were present in the auction, but no PSL franchises picked them. Naseer added that there was severe backlash in Pakistan after Peshawar Zalmi signed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, owing to strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“There were a few Afghanistan players in the auction, but no franchise went for them. There was severe backlash after Zalmi signed Gurbaz because of the fractured relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and after Gurbaz pulled himself out of the PSL. So, the other players also decided it was better to avoid backlash,” Salman Naseer said, as quoted by PTI.

Relations between the two nations have remained strained since late last year, after Pakistan carried out aerial strikes in selected areas of Afghanistan. In response, several Afghan players criticized the Pakistan government on social media, prompting reciprocal reactions from Pakistani accounts.

Recently, the PCB faced humiliation after making a U-turn during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. The Pakistan government had earlier announced that its players would not take the field against India on Sunday, February 15. Days later, the PCB reversed its stance following a high-level meeting with the International Cricket Council (ICC).