Shariful joins Peshawar in direct signing, opening a new chapter in PSL

The presence of Bangladeshi cricketers in foreign franchise leagues continues to grow, and left-arm pacer Shariful Islam has now added a new milestone to that journey. Ahead of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Peshawar Zalmi have secured his services through a direct signing, marking an iimportant step in his career.

The T20 tournament is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3, where Shariful will share the dressing room with his national teammate Nahid Rana. The franchise confirmed his inclusion on Monday via social media, stating that he has been recruited through a direct contract.

Expressing their excitement, Peshawar Zalmi said that Shariful’s arrival has strengthened the “Yellow Storm.” They also highlighted that the Bangladeshi pacer is ready to make an impact in the iconic yellow jersey.

At just 24, Shariful has already established himself as a key figure in Bangladesh’s pace attack across all three formats. His recent performances have been particularly impressive, especially in the latest Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Playing for Chattogram Royals, he claimed 26 wickets at an economy rate of 5.84, setting a record for the highest number of by a bowler in a single BPL season. Such performances brought him into the spotlight.

Surprisingly, despite this outstanding form, Shariful went unsold in the PSL’s first-ever player draft held last month. His base price was set at PKR 11 million, yet no franchise picked him at the time.

Among the Bangladeshi players who were selected in the draft were Nahid Rana, Rishad Hossain, and Parvez Hossain Emon. Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman had already been signed directly by Lahore Qalandars for PKR 64.4 million before the draft.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain was eventually picked by the new franchise Rawalpindi Pindis for PKR 30 million after strong competition. Peshawar signed Nahid Rana for PKR 6 million, while Parvez Hossain Emon joined Lahore for the same amount, marking his first opportunity in a foreign franchise league.

For the upcoming PSL season, the distribution of Bangladeshi players across teams has been finalized. Lahore Qalandars will feature Mustafizur Rahman and Parvez Hossain Emon, Peshawar Zalmi will have Nahid Rana and Shariful Islam, and Rawalpindi Pindis will include Rishad Hossain.