LAHORE: The 2020 champions Karachi Kings welcomed all-rounder Shoaib Malik and batter Haider Ali ahead of the upcoming eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as the franchises revealed the names of their squads.
Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik moved to Karachi Kings in Platinum and Diamond categories, respectively, before the trade and retention window closed on Friday evening.
In one of the biggest trades of the tournament, 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi took Babar Azam on board in the Platinum category.
With 2,413 runs under his belt in 68 matches, the prolific right-hander is the all-time highest scorer of PSL.
Babar represented Islamabad United in the inaugural edition of the PSL. Before PSL 2017 players' draft, Babar was moved to Kings. Since then, he represented the Kings in six PSL editions and also captained the franchise this year.
The tournament will run from February 9 to March 19 next year and will be played at four venues — Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan.
During the trade and retention window, a side can assemble up to eight players before the PSL Player Draft, in which it can increase the squad side to 18 players — three each in Platinum, Diamond and Gold categories, five Silver, two Emerging and up to two Supplementary categories.
Babar, who was at Islamabad United before moving to Karachi Kings, is the only player in the Platinum category for Peshawar Zalmi.
Wahab Riaz and Sherfane Rutherford are in Diamond, while Mohammad Haris, who has lightened up the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with his fearless batting, is in Gold.
Zalmi are the only side to retain seven players.
Complete list of retained players: Babar Azam (Platinum). Sherfane Rutherford and Wahab Riaz (Diamond). Mohammad Haris (Gold). Aamir Jamal (Brand Ambassador), Salman Irshad and Tom-Kohler Cadmore (Silver).
Haider is Karachi’s only player in the platinum category, while Shoaib joins Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir in the Diamond.
They have retained Sharjeel Khan, Mir Hamza and Aamir Yamin in the Silver category and Qasim Akram in the Emerging.
Complete list of retained players: Haider Ali (Platinum). Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik (Diamond). Aamir Yamin, Mir Hamza and Sharjeel Khan (Silver). Qasim Akram (Emerging)
Lahore Qalandars, the defending champions, have retained Shaheen Shah Afridi, their captain, and Rashid Khan in the Platinum category. All-rounder David Wiese stays in the Diamond category. While Lahore have retained seven players, they will announce their eighth retention in due course.
Complete list of retained players: Rashid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum). David Wiese (Diamond). Abdullah Shafique (Gold). Harry Brook and Kamran Ghulam (Silver). Zaman Khan (Emerging). Eighth retention to be announced in due course.
Multan Sultans, the winners of the 2021 edition and the finalists in the last one, have retained middle-order batters Khushdil Shah and Rilee Rossouw in the Diamond category and Tim David in Gold.
Their captain Mohammad Rizwan, the highest run-getter in T20Is since the beginning of 2021 and the player of PSL 2021, is their only retention in the Platinum.
Fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani, named Multan Sultans’ Brand Ambassador, joins David in the Gold category.
Complete list of retained players: Mohammad Rizwan (Platinum). Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw and Shan Masood (Diamond). Shahnawaz Dahani (Brand Ambassador) and Tim David (Gold). Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah (Emerging).
Islamabad United, the winners of the inaugural and third editions in 2016 and 2018, have retained their captain Shadab Khan in the Platinum category.
They have kept two players in the Diamond with Asif Ali being named as the Brand Ambassador and Mohammad Wasim Jr, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali will continue with United in Gold.
Complete list of retained players: Shadab Khan (Platinum). Asif Ali (Brand Ambassador) and Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Diamond). Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali (Gold). Colin Munro and Paul Stirling (Silver).
Quetta Gladiators have retained Mohammad Nawaz, who has been with them since the inaugural edition, in the Platinum.
Jason Roy and Iftikhar Ahmed are retained in the Diamond category. Their captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Hasnain (Brand Ambassador) are in the Gold category.
Complete list of retained players: Mohammad Nawaz (Platinum). Iftikhar Ahmed and Jason Roy (Diamond). Mohammad Hasnain and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Gold). Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal (Mentor) and Will Smeed (Silver)
As it was last year, each of the six sides will have the Right to Match Card that will allow them to pick any player released from their roster during the draft.
The details of PSL Player Draft 2023 will be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, leading T20 cricketers from around the globe have registered themselves for the PSL Player Draft 2023. Four hundred and ninety-three players, of which 29 are in the Platinum category and 81 in Diamond (names below), from both full member and associate nations, have made themselves available for the player draft.
The maximum number of foreign players to register are from England (140). The next on the list — from full members — are Sri Lanka (60), Afghanistan (43), West Indies (38), Bangladesh (28), South Africa (25), Australia (14), Zimbabwe (11) and Ireland (nine).
Foreign players registered in the top two categories.
Platinum — Aaron Finch, Adil Rashid, Akeal Hosein, Alex Hales, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Colin De Grandhomme, Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Dawid Malan, Evin Lewis, Jimmy Neesham, Lungi Ngidi, Martin Guptill, Moeen Ali, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rehman, Nicholas Pooran, Odean Smith, Rahkeem Cornwall, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Rassie van der Dussen, Reece Topley, Saqib Mahmood, Shakib Al Hasan, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and Wanindu Hasaranga De Silva
Diamond — Adam Hose, Andre Fletcher, Andrew Tye, Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Bas de Leede, Ben Mike, Benjamin Cutting, Bjorn Fortuin, Brandon King, Cameron Delport, Carlos Brathwaite, Chadwick Walton, Charith Asalanka, Craig Overton, Daniel Sams, Daniel Worrall, David Wiese, Dominic Drakes, Dushmantha Chameera, Dwaine Pretorius, Evan Jones, Fabian Allen, Fazalhaq Farooqi, George Dockrell, Gulbadin Naib, Hayden Walsh, Hazratullah Zazai, Imran Tahir, Jacques Snyman, James Bracey, James Fuller, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Janneman Malan, Jason Roy, Johnson Charles, Josh Little, Keemo Paul, Kevin Sinclair, Kieran Powell, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Laurie Evans, Lendl Simmons, Lewis Gregory, Lewis McManus, Liam Dawson, Liam Norwell, Luke Wood, Maheesh Theekshana, Mahmudullah Riyad, Marchant De Lange, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Michael Rippon, Migael Pretorius, Mushfiqur Rahim, Najibullah Zadran, Nkrumah Bonner, Ollie Pope, Olly Stone, Oshane Thomas, Patum Nissanka , Paul Walter, Qais Ahmad, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Rilee Rossouw, Roelof van der Merwe, Roston Chase, Ryan Gibson, Shai Hope, Shane Dadswell, Sherfane Rutherford, Sikandar Raza, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed, Thisara Perera, Thomas Kaber Phillip, Wayne Parnell and Will Jacks