Zimbabwe speedster Blessing Muzarabani has hit back at the Pakistan Cricket Board after it imposed a two-year ban on his participation in the Pakistan Super League. His representatives claim the player was never issued a formal agreement by Islamabad United before he committed to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
Muzarabani had been overlooked during the PSL draft and was later named as a replacement by Islamabad United in a reported PKR 11 million arrangement. But not long after the franchise’s announcement, the fast bowler opted to withdraw and join KKR, stepping in as a substitute for Mustafizur Rahman, who had been released in December following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India amid heightened regional tensions.
Dispute over contract process and PCB ban
- The PCB, citing concerns over professionalism and an alleged failure to honour a contract, placed a two-year ban on Muzarabani’s PSL involvement earlier this month.
- Muzarabani’s agency, World Sports Xchange, rejected the reasoning and said Islamabad United never provided a formal contract, arguing the franchise only made a public announcement on social media.
- The agency said it stayed silent for around six weeks to avoid worsening tensions, but felt forced to respond after receiving what it described as intense and distasteful criticism directed at the player.
- World Sports Xchange added that Islamabad United had approached Muzarabani about a possible PSL role this season, but any participation depended on a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Zimbabwe Cricket.
- The agency claimed an NOC could not be secured without an official contract issued through the league or the franchise.
- Despite the lack of formal paperwork, it said Islamabad United still proceeded with its public release of the news about Muzarabani.
- It further alleged that even two weeks after the franchise announcement, there was “still no contract” provided by the PSL or Islamabad United.
- According to the agency, during that period of delay, KKR made contact with Muzarabani and moved quickly to finalise an agreement.
- World Sports Xchange insisted the situation could not amount to a breach: “You simply cannot breach a contract you have never received.”
The agency also criticised the scale of the PCB’s sanction, saying a ban from PSL participation is far too harsh and does not align with punishments handed to players who have genuinely violated agreements in earlier cases.
World Sports Xchange urged the PCB to reconsider and withdraw the ban, arguing the matter should be treated as an administrative lapse rather than misconduct. It said the PSL should “gracefully withdraw the ban and accept this situation for what it is — an administrative error at their end, nothing more.”
