PSL draft: Key details about the event, finalized squads
All six squads for Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 were finalized in the player's draft event that took place on Thursday (December 15). The likes of Wanindu Hasaranga, David Miller, Alex Hales and Bhanuka Rajapaksa were among the top overseas picks. Among Pakistan players, Naseem Shah and Fakhar Zaman were roped in the Platinum round. Here are the key details from the event.
Why does this story matter?
- The eighth edition of the prominent T20 league will be played between February 9 and March 19.
- Each side was allotted to assemble a maximum of eight players during the trade and retention window.
- The rest of the players were bagged in the draft event.
- The players were picked into six categories: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Emerging, and Supplementary.
Prominent picks in the Platinum round
Lahore Qalandars bagged top-order batter Fakhar Zaman's services in the Platinum round, which happened to be the opening round. While Quetta Gladiators went for Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, South African swashbuckler David Miller went to Multan Sultans. Australian wicket-keeper Matthew Wade, England's Alex Hales, and SL's Bhanuka Rajapaksa were Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, and Peshawar Zalmi's first-round picks, respectively.
What happened in the second round of Platinum picks?
The second round of Platinum picks saw Gladiators retaining the services of their pacer Naseem. While the Kings went for leg-spinner Imran Tahir, Zalmi opted for West Indies hitter Rovman Powell. Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz went to Islamabad while the Sultans chose Ireland's Joshua Little. As the Qalandars had already retained two Platinum players before the draft, they weren't allowed a pick in this round.
A look at the Diamond picks
Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi was United's pick in the Diamond category. Qalandars selected Hussain Talat while Mujeeb ur Rahman was roped in by Zalmi. Kings, who had two picks available in this round, picked the England duo of James Vince and James Fuller. Gladiators bagged WI's Odean Smith's services. Having already retained three Diamond category players, the Sultans could not participate in this round.
Overseas players star in Gold category
Zalmi went for Danish Aziz and Arshad Iqbal in the Gold category. Gladiators picked Ahsan Ali. All-rounders Sikandar Raza along with Liam Dawson went to Qalandars. Akeal Hosein and Andrew Tye went to the Sultans and Kings, respectively. Islamabad couldn't pick any in this round.
Here are the picks in the Silver category
Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Sameen Gul, Anwar Ali, and Mohammad Sarwar Afridi went to Sultans. Islamabad chose Abrar Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood, and Rumman Raees. Zalmi roped in Saim Ayub and Usman Qadir. Dilbar Hussain, Mirza Tahir Baig, and Ahmed Daniyal were the players opted by the Qalandars While Gladiators chose Umaid Asif and Mohammad Zahid, Tayyab Tahir and Mohammad Akhlaq went to the Kings.
Islamabad United squad for PSL 2023
Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Colin Munro, Paul Stirling, Alex Hales, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abrar Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood, Rumman Raees, Zeeshan Zamir, Hassan Nawaz, Moeen Ali, Mubasir Khan
Quetta Gladiators squad for PSL 2023
Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal, Will Smeed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naseem Shah, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Umaid Asif, Muhammad Zahid, Abdul Bangalzai, Aimal Khan, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf
Multan Sultans squad for PSL 2023
Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, Shan Masood, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tim David, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah, David Miller, Joshua Little, Akeal Hosein, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Sameen Gul, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Sarwar, Adil Rashid, Arafat Minhas
Peshawar Zalmi squad for PSL 2023
Babar Azam, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Haris, Aamir Jamal, Salman Irshad, Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Rovman Powell, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Danish Aziz, Arshad Iqbal, Saim Ayub, Usman Qadir, Suifyan Muqeem, Haseeb Ullah, Jimmy Neesham
Karachi Kings squad for PSL 2023
Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Malik, Aamir Yamin, Mir Hamza, Sharjeel Khan, Qasim Akram, Matthew Wade, Imran Tahir, James Vince, James Fuller, Andrew Tye, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Akhlaq, Irfan Khan Niazi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mohammad Umar
Lahore Qalandars squad for PSL 2023
Rashid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, David Wiese, Abdullah Shafique, Harry Brook, Kamran Ghulam, Zaman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, Liam Dawson, Dilbar Hussain, Mirza Tahir Baig, Ahmed Danlyal, Shawaiz Irfan, Jordan Cox, Jalat Khan
