Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been ruled out of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026. The right-handed batsman made the announcement two days after being selected by Peshawar Zalmi as their direct signing for the 11th edition of the T20 tournament ahead of the historic players’ auction.
Naveen-ul-Haq posted a cryptic message on Facebook after Gurbaz signed the contract for PSL 2026. Naveen, Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman wanted to leave PSL this season. The trio reportedly took the decision together citing personal and professional reasons and decided to stay united.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz decided to withdraw from PSL 2026…
In a video shared on his Instagram, Rahmanullah Gurbaz confirmed that he will not be taking part in PSL 2026. Gurbaz said he took the decision due to personal commitments and unfinished work related to his charitable foundation. Gurbaz will return to Afghanistan after completing the World Cup.
“I will not be available to play in the PSL this year. I have some personal commitments, and a large part of the work of my charitable foundation is still incomplete.”
“After a successful World Cup campaign, I plan to return to my beloved Afghanistan to personally oversee the work of the Foundation so that I can better serve the people of Afghanistan.”
“Thank you all so much for your love and support. May you be happy and prosperous wherever you are. Please keep me in your prayers. Thank you.”
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s T20 journey
Rahmanullah Gurbaz played in the PSL for three seasons. He represented Multan Sultans in 2021 before moving to Islamabad United for the 2022 and 2023 editions. The right-handed batsman scored 318 runs in 15 matches at an average of 22.71, including one half-century.
Gurbaz has been a regular for Afghanistan, representing the national team in two Tests, 52 ODIs and 83 T20Is. He is known for his aggressive approach at the top of the order and his skills behind the stumps.
At the franchise level, the 24-year-old is one of the most sought-after Afghan players across the globe. He has appeared in major leagues like IPL, BPL, CPL, SA20 and ILT20. Overall, Gurbaz has scored 6,244 runs in T20 cricket at an average of 24.97 and a strike rate of 145.00, which includes two centuries.
Foreign player in PSL auction at PKR 4.2 crore base price
Pakistan Super League is introducing full auction system for the first time. The PSL 2026 players auction will be held on February 11, 2026 and has already attracted massive global interest.
A total of 879 foreign players from 24 countries have registered for the auction. Australia leads the list with 60 players, which include David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Aaron Hardie, Ashton Turner and Jake Fraser-McGurk.
Under the new system, each franchise will have a budget of PKR 450 million to assemble its squad, with an additional PKR 55 million set aside for direct signings.
List: Fazalhaq Farooqui, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aaron Hardie, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Riley Meredith, William Sutherland, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Riley Rossouw, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Liam Dawson, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Mendis, James Vince, Evin Lewis, Brandon King
Also read: ‘T20 World Cup starts with an upset’: Fans react, Pakistan snatches victory from the jaws of defeat against Netherlands
