Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana has been granted permission to return to Pakistan to participate in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), following a change in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) earlier position.
Rana had initially left the PSL midway through the tournament to return to Bangladesh, where he featured prominently in the One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand national cricket team. His performances in that series earned him the Player of the Series award. Despite this, he has not been included in Bangladesh’s squad for the ongoing Twenty20 International series.
After the ODI series, the Bangladesh Cricket Board had stated that Rana would not return to the PSL and would instead focus on preparations for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan national cricket team, scheduled for the following month. Another Bangladesh fast bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, was also unavailable for PSL participation due to injury.
However, the situation changed when Javed Afridi, chairman of Peshawar Zalmi, announced via social media platform X that permission had been granted for Rana to play in the PSL final. In his post, Afridi wrote, “Thanks to Tamim (BCB interim president Tamim Iqbal) bhai for allowing Nahid to play in the PSL final.”
The BCB subsequently confirmed the decision in an official statement. It noted that the significance of participating in the final of a global franchise tournament had been taken into account, describing the opportunity as an important step in the player’s professional development. The board also confirmed that Rana had received clearance from both team management and the BCB medical staff.
The PSL final of the current season is scheduled to take place on 3 May in Lahore. Peshawar Zalmi secured their place in the final by winning the first qualifier. The second finalist will be determined from among Multan Sultans, Islamabad United, and Hyderabad Kingsmen, who remain in contention.
The ongoing PSL season marks Rana’s debut in an overseas franchise league. Representing Peshawar Zalmi, he has delivered notable performances with the ball. Across four matches, he has taken seven wickets while maintaining an economy rate of 5.42 runs per over.
The following table summarises his performance in the tournament:
| Matches Played | Wickets Taken | Economy Rate (Runs per Over) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 7 | 5.42 |
Rana’s inclusion in the PSL final provides him with the opportunity to compete at a high level of franchise cricket, following his recent international appearances for Bangladesh.