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Bangladesh’s cricketing icon, Shakib Al Hasan, is poised to make a significant return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), joining Lahore Qalandars for the remainder of the league’s tenth season. The star all-rounder’s comeback to the premier Pakistani T20 competition follows a notable absence and comes after he went unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, where he had registered a base price of ₹1 crore.
Re-entry into PSL after 8-years hiatus
Shakib’s re-entry into the PSL fold marks his third franchise in the league. He previously represented Karachi Kings in the 2016 season and Peshawar Zalmi in 2017, showcasing his all-round capabilities in earlier editions. His decision to join Lahore Qalandars, who are currently positioned fourth on the PSL points table, injects considerable experience and match-winning potential into their squad as the tournament progresses.
The move to the PSL comes at a juncture when Shakib is not part of the Bangladesh national team’s T20 setup. Having retired from the shortest format internationally, he isn’t a part of the squad for the series against the UAE commencing on May 17. This absence from national T20 commitments has paved the way for his participation in the PSL 2025.
Shakib’s return to competitive cricket through the PSL is particularly noteworthy as it follows a considerable break. His last competitive appearances were in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for Bangla Tigers in November of the previous year and his last international outing for Bangladesh was during the Asia Cup in September 2024. He also missed the ICC Champions Trophy.
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Season all-rounder’s successful history in the IPL
The seasoned all-rounder boasts an extensive and successful history in the IPL, having earned a cumulative salary of ₹26.25 crore over 11 seasons. His IPL journey began in 2011 with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who secured him for ₹1.95 crore. He was a mainstay for KKR for seven consecutive seasons before moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2018 for ₹2 crore, with a retention for the 2019 season. After being released by SRH, he returned to KKR for the 2021 season and last featured in the IPL in 2023. Despite registering for the IPL 2025 auction with a base price of ₹1 crore, no franchise showed interest, ultimately opening the door for his comeback to the PSL.
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