T20 World Cup | Muhammad Waseem’s press conference after the loss against New Zealand
However, the players later withdrew their names following opposition to the outright signing of Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz by Peshawar Zalmi.PSL CEO Salman Naseer said some players from Afghanistan were part of the auction pool but were not picked by any franchise.“There were a few players from Afghanistan in the auction but there was no franchise for them,” Naseer was quoted as saying by PTI.He added that strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan had an impact on the situation.“After Zalmi signed Gurbaz due to strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, there was a strong backlash and after Gurbaz pulled out of the PSL. So other players also decided that he would be better off,” he said.Relations between the two countries have been strained since late last year, when the Pakistani military carried out airstrikes in selected areas of Afghanistan that it said were targeting militants.Several players from Afghanistan criticized the Pakistani government on social media, drawing responses from Pakistan-based accounts.Gurbaz had previously played three seasons in the PSL. He represented Multan Sultans in 2021 and Islamabad United in 2022 and 2023. In 15 matches, he scored 318 runs at a strike rate of 159.79, including one half-century. He also registered for the 2026 IPL auction but remained unsold.