South African Players Joins PSL In IPL Window. Image Credits: X
The Pakistan Super League remains a magnet for international stars, and the Lahore Qalandars have made yet another shocking move by directly recruiting South African wicket-keeper batter Rubin Hermann for PSL 2026.
This recruitment is part of a larger trend of South African players looking to explore opportunities in Pakistan, following the high-profile announcement by veteran batter Faf du Plessis.
The Faf Du Plessis Saga Before Hermann
In the latter part of 2025, Faf du Plessis made a shock move by pulling out of the IPL 2026 auction after 14 successful years in the Indian Premier League, where he scored close to 4,800 runs. Instead, he opted for a new challenge in the PSL, stating that he wanted to experience a new league that is full of passion and talent.
Now, another South African star, Rubin Hermann, who is much younger than Faf du Plessis, has made the same move by committing to PSL 2026 during the squad formation phase for IPL 2026, thus adding to the larger narrative of Proteas players interested in the T20 scene in Pakistan.
Lahore Qalandars See Potential in Rubin Hermann
Rubin Hermann, born on 26 January 1997 in Pretoria, has been one of the most promising young white-ball cricketers in South Africa over the past few years.
A left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, Hermann made headlines with an incredible domestic debut in the 2023-24 CSA T20 Challenge, scoring 436 runs at an average of 39.63. He was subsequently signed by Paarl Royals for the SA20.
In the 2025 SA20 season, Hermann has performed admirably under pressure, scoring an unbeaten 81 off only 53 deliveries in the second qualifier against Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
He continued his impressive form in the 2025-26 SA20 season, scoring 226 runs in 10 innings at an average of 25.11 and strike rate of 109.18, with a top score of 65. Overall in T20 cricket, Hermann has scored 1,497 runs at 31.18, with one century and eight half-centuries.
Internationally, Hermann marked his T20I debut in July 2025 against Zimbabwe and made an instant impact, playing seven matches and scoring 153 runs at 25.50 with a strike rate of 131.90.
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Lahore Qalandars Sign Rubin Hermann Amid Packed Pool
The news of Hermann signing in PSL 2026 generated an instant buzz on social media on February 22. The official Lahore Qalandars handle posted a very neat graphic announcing the direct signing, making storm among the green army.
This is the latest move in the squad-building plan for Lahore. With their retentions finalised and the squad already in the bag after auction, the team is now looking for overseas players who can fit into their lineup of explosive local players, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, and young keeper Haseebullah Khan.
Hermann’s left-handed batting skill set will now provide a nice touch to their lineup, as they are accustomed to facing spin-heavy attacks in Pakistan.
Impact of Rubin on Lahore Qalandars Squad for PSL 2026
Hermann’s addition covers some of the major concerns for the three-time title winners. Lahore Qalandars have a strong pace attack in Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, and Mustafizur Rahman’s variety and Sikandar Raza’s spin expertise add to their arsenal.
For their batting, Fakhar Zaman is a power-packed opener, Abdullah Shafique a solid one, and Raza a middle-order anchor. But middle-order strength and left-handers have been a talking point at times.
Being a multi-functional player, Rubin Hermann brings a lot to the table. He can be used at No. 5 or 6, and his ability to rotate the strike and smash boundaries in the death overs will be useful for PSL’s big-scoring grounds.
His exposure to international-level bowling in the SA20 competition will be extremely helpful on Pakistani surfaces, which tend to favour both pacers and spinners.
Haseebullah Khan and possibly Abdullah Shafique will give him stiff competition for the wicketkeeping spot, and his addition allows the team to release an overseas spot for another all-rounder or bowler if required.
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