LAHORE: Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana is set to return to Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (PCB) restored his no-holds-barred certificate (NOC), allowing him to rejoin Peshawar Zalmi for the final of the tournament on May 3.
The PCB initially allowed Rana to feature in the PSL only till April 13, after which he withdrew to manage his workload.
As part of his recovery and workload management plan, he was rested for the first two T20Is of Bangladesh’s ongoing domestic series against New Zealand.
However, following a fresh review, the board has now cleared his participation in the PSL final.
In an official statement, the PCB said the decision was taken considering the importance of franchise cricket in player development and confirmed his medical clearance for his return.
“The decision has been taken considering the importance of participating in the finals of a major global franchise tournament, which is considered an important step in the player’s continued development,” the BCB said in a statement.
“Most importantly, the team management and BCB medical team have given clearance to ensure that his participation in the tournament will not adversely affect his fitness, workload management or availability for national duty,” the board added.
Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi also took to social media to thank PCB president Tamim Iqbal for facilitating Rana’s return to the PSL.
Rana has been in excellent form for the past few weeks. In four matches for Zalmi, he took seven wickets at an average of 10.85 and an economy rate of 5.42, including 3 for 7 against Karachi Kings.
He also impressed on international duty, taking 5 for 32 in the second ODI against New Zealand, becoming the first to take eight wickets in a series.
While Rana was initially expected to resume training for Bangladesh’s Test series against Pakistan starting May 8 in Dhaka, the BCB has confirmed that he remains on track for selection.
Meanwhile, the playoff stage of the tournament continues, with Hyderabad Kingsmen set to face Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 on Wednesday.
The winning team will advance to Eliminator 2 and face the losers of the qualifiers, Islamabad United.
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