Lahore Qalandars COO urges against 'culture of bribes' ahead of PSL 9 draft

LAHORE: Chief Operating Officer Lahore Qalandars Sameen Rana Saturday blasted Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises for “promoting a culture of bribes” and warned them against this ethical practice.

Sameen Rana took to X, formerly Twitter, saying this is everyone’s right to form a “good team” and for this, they should select players “available” in the draft or trade them where possible.

The Lahore Qalandars’ COO was apparently perturbed over reports of cricketers switching teams ahead of the PSL 9 draft which is scheduled to take place on December 13.

"Making a good team for your franchises is your right and for that you have the right to select player AVAILABLE in the draft or trade them where possible," he wrote in a post.

He added: "PSL franchises are one big family and we should not go directly to players and start offering them money and rewards to leave existing franchise."

He then went to request franchises against bribing cricketers in the league.

"Let’s not build and promote a culture of bribes. Just a humble request," he added.

Rana's post comes at a time when several cricketers are expected to switch teams before the PSL draft takes place on December 13.

Franchises are reportedly reaching out to players directly to either ask their franchises to relegate them or avoid retention or make them available for drafts, so they could be picked in a better category.

The players are allegedly being lured through a better category or more money, all of which is happening before the draft.

There were reports that Quetta Gladiators' Naseem Shah was approached by multiple franchises ahead of the draft. He has now joined Islamabad United while Abrar Ahmed and Muhammad Wasim Jr joined Quetta Gladiators. 

Gladiators have also traded Iftikhar Ahmed in replacement of Rilee Rossouw from the Multan Sultans for the upcoming PSL season 9.

The Sultans in a statement, while confirming the trade, shared that under the deal they also get the first pick in the platinum round and the first Silver category pick.

Rossouw's trade to Quetta also means that the player is returning to the franchise from which he made his PSL debut. This was the second trade confirmed in PSL ahead of the draft after Imad Wasim was traded by the Karachi Kings for Hassan Ali from Islamabad United earlier this week.

Wasim, who guided Karachi to their maiden PSL title in the fifth edition, has been taken by United under the Platinum category.

While, Hassan, who represented Islamabad in the last season, will play for the Karachi Kings under the Diamond category.