Afghanistan’s leading cricketers are currently focused on the ICC T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, juggling high-pressure fixtures on the global stage.
Although the team has suffered back-to-back defeats, their hopes of advancing remain alive as the tournament unfolds.
Off the field, however, top Afghan players have been named in a possible boycott of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 Auction, a development that has quickly become a major talking point in cricket circles.
Indian news agency, PTI, quoted PSL CEO, Salman Naseer, claiming that there was major backlash over the direct signing of Afghan wicket keeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz to the franchise Peshawar Zalmi, due to strained relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, prompting the player to pull out of the competition.
"They were a few Afghanistan players in the auction but no franchise went for them, There was a 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 better to avoid backlash,"
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained high in recent months. Diplomatic strains deepened after Pakistan’s military carried out air operations inside Afghan territory, citing security concerns.
The auction in question was PSL's first-ever, having replaced the usual draft system.
Other franchise leagues, such as the IPL also feature player auctions ahead of every season.
Each franchise entered the PSL 2026 Auction with a base purse of PKR 45 crore (approximately USD 1.6 million or Rs 14.60 crore).
The eight participating teams include Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators, along with new entrants Hyderabad and Sialkot.
Franchises also had the flexibility to expand their budget up to PKR 50.5 crore if they chose to directly recruit one overseas player who did not take part in the previous PSL season.
