Karachi, February 12 The Afghan players withdrew their names from the first-ever player auction held ahead of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
A franchise owner initially confirmed that players like Mujeeb ur Rehman, Seddiqullah Atal, Muhammad Nabi, Waqar Salamkheil, and Fazal Haq Farooqi had registered for the auction held in Lahore on Wednesday.
However, they withdrew their names following the backlash over the direct signing of Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz by Peshawar Zalmi.
However, Salman Naseer, the CEO of the PSL, said that there were some Afghan players who were in demand, but no franchise picked them.
"There were a few Afghan players in the auction, but no franchise went for them," Naseer claimed.
However, Naseer said that the strained relationship between the two nations was reflected in the auction.
"There was a strong backlash after Zalmi signed Gurbaz because of the fractured relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and after Gurbaz withdrew from the PSL. So, the other players also decided to avoid the backlash," he said.
The relationship between the two nations has been strained since late last year after the Pakistani military carried out aerial attacks in selected areas of Afghanistan, claiming to be targeting militants.
Several Afghan players had lashed out at the Pakistani government on social media, receiving a reciprocal response from Pakistani handles.
