13 English cricketers to star in PSL 6

BIRMINGHAM: Thirteen English cricketers will be starring in the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League starting from 20th February. Many of them have been regulars in the previous editions of Pakistan Super League (PSL). But some of the big names who have appeared in the earlier editions will miss out in PSL 6.

Players who will be featuring in this edition of Pakistan Super League are Ravi Bopara, James Vince, Saqib Mahmood, Alex Hales, Tom Banton, Joe Denly, Phil Slat, Samit Patel, Lewis Gregory, and Tom Abel.

Joe Clark, Adam Lyth and Tom-Kohler Cadmore will also feature in this edition of PSL.

Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi each have three English players in their squad, while two English players are part of Multan Sultans. Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators have one English cricketer in their squad.

Lahore Qalandars have retained Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel in Gold category for this season too. Samit Patel has been a regular in PSL. Prior to joining Lahore Qalandars Samit was in the Islamabad United’s squad for 2018 and 2019 editions.

Other English players in Qalandars squad are Somerset’s Tom Abel in Silver category and test cricketer Joe Denly from Kent.

All rounder Ravi Bopara who has played for England in all three formats internationally is another regular participant of PSL. In PSL 6 Bopara will feature for Peshawar Zalmi. He’s the only English player who has participated in all previous editions of PSL.

Ravi Bopara has featured for Karachi Kings from 2016-2019. He was player of the tournament in the first edition of PSL and was also the captain of Karachi Kings. In the last edition he was part of the Multan Sultans squad.

Fast bowler Saqib Mahmood will also star for Peshawar Zalmi again this year. The Birmingham born British-Pakistani cricketer from Lancashire, who made his international debut for England just over a year ago, is in Silver category.

Yorkshire’s Tom-Kohler Cadmore, who previously represented Quetta Gladiators in 2018, is also part of Zalmi’s squad replacing Liam Livingstone who was originally picked up by Zalmi in the drafts. Another regular participant of PSL from England is dashing opener Alex Hales, who’s returned to Islamabad United in Platinum category. Nottinghamshire’s Alex Hales was part of Karachi Kings squad in the last edition of PSL.

Somerset and England’s all rounder Lewis Gregory is also in Islamabad United’s squad for PSL 6 in Diamond category. Previously Lewis Gregory starred for Peshawar Zalmi in 2019-2020 editions.

Sussex’s Phil Slat will again feature in PSL for Islamabad United. He is in United’s squad in Gold category. Previously Slat was also part of United’s squad for 2019-2020 editions. He also played for Lahore Qalandars in 2018 edition.

James Vince, who was also part of England’s world up winning squad, will feature for Multan Sultans again this year. James Vince has been retained by Sultans in Gold category. Vince was also part of Karachi King’s squad in the first edition of PSL in 2016.

The other English cricketer in Sultans squad is test cricketer Adam Lyth. Yorkshire’s Lyth is retained by Multan Sultans in Silver category.

Tom Banton is the only English player in Quetta Gladiators squad in Platinum category. Banton — a regular in England’s limited over squad for a year now — has previously represented Peshawar Zalmi in PSL in 2020.

The only English cricketer in Karachi King’s squad is Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clark.

Players like Jason Roy, Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Reece Topley and Liam Dawson, who have represented various franchises of PSL in previous editions, will miss out due to their ongoing commitments with England’s national team.

Most of them are in England’s squad for the T20I series against India starting from next month.

The opening game of the PSL 6 will be played at Karachi’s National Stadium between defending champions Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators on 20th February. In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic all the matches will be played in Karachi and Lahore only with only 20 per cent of supporters allowed in the stadiums.

In total, 34 matches will be played during the month-long tournament that will conclude on 22nd March with the final to be played in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.