New Delhi, Feb 7 (NationPress) As diplomatic ties between neighboring nations Pakistan and Afghanistan deteriorate due to recent air strikes along the border, the Afghan government has denied players the NOC required to participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), marking yet another setback for the country's cricket framework, a report stated on Saturday.

The Afghan government has opted to prohibit its players from competing in the PSL following air strikes by Pakistan in Afghan territories last December, according to Telecom Asia Sport.

This news surfaced on the same day that the talented Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz announced his withdrawal from the PSL, just one day post the announcement of his signing by the Peshawar Zalmi franchise for an undisclosed amount.

According to reports, the PSL has raised the salary cap for teams to 50 crore, creating an appealing opportunity for players, especially with the addition of two new teams - Hyderabad and Sialkot - for the upcoming 11th edition, scheduled to begin on March 26. Each team is permitted to directly sign one player along with four retentions prior to the auction on February 11.

Last year, Afghanistan withdrew from a tri-series after three local players tragically lost their lives due to an air strike which they attributed to Pakistan.

The current stalemate in Pak-Afghan relations has already led to one cricketing casualty, as Afghanistan previously pulled out of a Tri-Nation T20 series in Pakistan. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) stated that it withdrew from November's series in memory of three cricketers killed in the air strikes.

The ACB identified the three players as Kabeer Agha, Sibghatullah, and Haroon, lamenting their deaths as a significant loss for Afghanistan's sports community and the cricketing fraternity.

Pakistan questioned the presence of the three players, who were not part of the national team, at a location attacked based on intelligence. The strike targeted a residence in the Urgon district in Paktika province, where the players were dining after a match.

Pakistan denied any civilian or player casualties, but Afghanistan has rejected this assertion. Both countries had previously engaged in discussions that failed last year.

Gurbaz is regarded as one of the most coveted Afghan cricketers in franchise leagues, boasting participation in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), SA20, and ILT20.

The 24-year-old has also participated in three PSL seasons, representing Multan Sultans in 2021, and returning to three-time champions Islamabad United in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

In a post on social media, Gurbaz expressed regret over his withdrawal, citing “personal reasons.” However, the Telecom Asia Report stated that PSL officials have denied his withdrawal.

This year, four Afghan players - Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, AM Ghazanfar, and Azmatullah Omarzai - will participate in the IPL. Ten other Afghan players had registered for the IPL, but none secured a contract in the high-profile auction.