PSL 2021: Here’s the list of players retained and released by franchises

• Karachi Kings trades Alex Hales for Colin Ingram from Islamabad United 
• Fakhar Zaman retained by Lahore Qalandars
• Peshawar Zalmi chose to retain five players

LAHORE:  Pakistan Super League   on Saturday announced the retention list of  the franchises a day before the draft for the 2021 season of Pakistan's most sought after T20 league.

According to a press release, Pakistan team skipper Babar Azam and vice captain Shadab Khan have been retained by Karachi Kings (KK) and Islamabad United (IU) respectively.

One of the most surprising retention was of Fakhar Zaman of Lahore Qalandars (LQ), who had earlier announced that he was leaving the franchise. In fact, the Qalandars have also named the opening batsman as their brand ambassador.

This year there was only one trade in the PSL and that was of Alex Hales and Colin Ingram. Karachi Kings and Islamabad United completed the successful trade of the Englishman and South African.

Due to the trade, Karachi will now take Islamabad’s pick in the first round of the diamond category. While the IU will make their only diamond pick in the second round.

"As per the event rules, five sides have consumed their allocation of retaining up to eight players except Peshawar Zalmi, which have retained five players," said the press release.

Here's a look at who the teams retained, released and traded:

Players retained

Lahore Qalandars

Ben Dunk (gold); David Wiese (diamond); Dilbar Hussain (gold); Fakhar Zaman (diamond, brand ambassador); Haris Rauf (diamond); Mohammad Hafeez; Shaheen Shah Afridi (both platinum) and Sohail Akhtar (silver, successful relegation request)

Islamabad United

Alex Hales (Platinum; traded from Karachi Kings); Asif Ali (gold); Colin Munro (diamond); Faheem Ashraf (diamond); Hussain Talat (gold, brand ambassador); Musa Khan (silver, successful relegation request); Shadab Khan (platinum); Zafar Gohar (silver, successful relegation request)

Karachi Kings

Amir Yamin (gold); Arshad Iqbal (emerging); Babar Azam (platinum); Colin Ingram (platinum, traded from Islamabad United); Imad Wasim (diamond, successful relation request); Mohammad Amir (platinum); Sharjeel Khan gold) and Waqas Maqsood (silver, brand ambassador)

Multan Sultans

Shahid Afridi (platinum), Imran Tahir (diamond, mentor); James Vince (gold); Khushdil Shah (diamond); Rilee Rossouw (platinum); Shan Masood (gold, successful relegation request); Sohail Tanvir (Diamond, brand ambassador); Usman Qadir (gold)

Peshawar Zalmi

Haider Ali (gold); Kamran Akmal (diamond, successful relegation request); Liam Livingstone (gold); Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz (both platinum)

Quetta Gladiators

Anwar Ali (silver, successful relegation request); Azam Khan (gold); Ben Cutting (diamond); Mohammad Hasnain (diamond); Mohammad Nawaz (diamond); Naseem Shah (gold); Sarfaraz Ahmed (platinum) and Zahid Mahmood (silver, brand ambassador)

Players released

Islamabad United

Ahmer Safi Abdullah, Akif Javed, Amad Butt, Dale Steyn, Luke Ronchi (unavailable due to coaching duties in New Zealand), Phil Salt, Rassie van der Dussen, Rizwan Hussain, Rumman Raees and Saif Badar

Karachi Kings

Ali Khan, Awais Zia, Cameron Delport, Chadwick Walton, Chris Jordan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mitchell McCleneghan, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Umer Khan and Usama Mir

Lahore Qalandars

Abid Ali, Agha Salman, Chris Lynn, Dane Vilas, Dilbar Hussain, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali, Maaz Khan, Mohammad Faizan, Salman Butt, Salman Irshad, Samit Patel, Seekkuge Prasanna and Usman Shinwari

Multan Sultans

Ali Shafiq, Asad Shafiq, Bilawal Bhatti, Fabian Allen, Junaid Khan, Moeen Ali, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Irfan, Ravi Bopara, Rohail Nazir, Wayne Madsen and Zeeshan Ashraf

Peshawar Zalmi

Aamir Ali, Adil Amin, Amir Khan, Carlos Brathwaite, Hammad Azam, Hassan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kieron Pollard, Lewis Gregory, Liam Dawson (unavailable), Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Sikandar Raza, Tom Banton, Umar Amin and Yasir Shah

Quetta Gladiators

Aarish Ali Khan, Abdul Nasir, Ahmed Shehzad, Ahsan Ali, Fawad Ahmad, Jason Roy (unavailable), Keemo Paul, Khurram Manzoor, Omair bin Yousuf, Shane Watson (retired), Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills (unavailable) and Umar Akmal (suspended).