Franchises announce players retention for PSL 2024

LAHORE: All six franchises have finalized their trades and players retention ahead of the HBL PSL Player Draft 2024, which is scheduled to take place on 13 December at National Cricket Academy, Lahore.

Each franchise was allotted a maximum of eight retentions. Barring Multan Sultans – who retained seven players – all franchises made full use of their retentions.

Reigning champions and winners of the last two seasons, Lahore Qalandars have retained their captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi in the Platinum category. In the Diamond category, Haris Rauf has been named the team’s brand ambassador. ICC’s sixth-ranked T20I all-rounder Sikandar Raza has been retained in Gold category while second-ranked T20I bowler Rashid Khan has been retained in Silver, though he may miss the tournament due to injury. Mirza Tahir Baig, after a successful relegation request, has been retained in Silver.

Two-time champions Islamabad United have retained ICC’s eighth-ranked T20I all-rounder Shadab Khan, alongside their successful trade Naseem Shah in the Platinum category. Diamond-category Imad Wasim, who moved to Islamabad United from Karachi Kings, has been named the team’s Mentor, while Gold-category Faheeem Ashraf has been appointed the Brand Ambassador. Rumman Raees has been retained in Silver after a successful relegation request.

Multan Sultans have retained their captain Mohammad Rizwan, ICC’s second-ranked T20I batter, in the Platinum category. Iftikhar Ahmed, after a successful trade with Quetta Gladiators, is Multan’s other Platinum player. HBL PSL 2023 player of the tournament, Ihsanullah, has been appointed the side’s Brand Ambassador and has been retained in the Silver category. Faisal Akram, after a successful trade with Karachi Kings, has been retained in Emerging.

Shan Masood and Shoaib Malik have both been retained in Gold by Karachi Kings. Shan Masood was traded for left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram, ahead of the end of the trade window. Shan has also been named the Brand Ambassador while Malik has been appointed team Mentor. Mir Hamza has been retained in Silver, after a successful relegation request.

Quetta Gladiators have retained world’s No.5 T20I batter Rilee Rossouw in Platinum and third-ranked T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga in Diamond. Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Abrar Ahmed, after a successful trade, have been retained in Diamond and Gold respectively. Jason Roy, who holds the record for the highest individual score in HBL PSL history, has also been retained in Diamond. Sarfaraz Ahmed has been appointed Quetta Gladiator’s Brand Ambassador and is retained in Gold category.

Babar Azam, the most successful batter in HBL PSL history and currently ranked No.4 in the ICC T20I rankings, has been retained in Platinum by Peshawar Zalmi alongside West Indies power-hitter Rovman Powell. Mohammad Haris has been retained in Gold category and has been named the Brand Ambassador as well.

Following the finalisation of all trades and retentions, Multan Sultans will now have the first pick in the first round of the Platinum category, after Multan and Quetta traded Iftikhar Ahmed and Rilee Rossouw between them.

Naseem Shah’s move to Islamabad United also saw their first round Platinum pick exchanged with Quetta Gladiator’s third-round Platinum pick.

Following Shan Masood’s move to Karachi Kings, their first-round Silver pick was exchanged for Multan Sultan’s fourth-round Silver pick. Owing to Imad Wasim’s move to Islamabad United, Islamabad’s first-round Silver pick has been exchanged with Karachi’s second-round Silver pick.

Furthermore, Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators will be required to pick a local player in the Platinum category.

As per the precedent, 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.

Full retentions:

Lahore Qalandars (8) Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum), Haris Rauf (Brand Ambassador) and David Wiese (both Diamond), Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique and Zaman Khan (all Gold), Mirza Tahir Baig (Successful relegation request) and Rashid Khan (both Silver).

Islamabad United (8) Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah (both Platinum), Imad Wasim (Mentor) and Azam Khan (both Diamond), Faheem Ashraf (Brand Ambassador), Alex Hales and Colin Munro (all Gold), Rumman Raees (Successful relegation request in Silver).

Multan Sultans (7) Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed (both Platinum), Khushdil Shah and Usama Mir (both Diamond), Abbas Afridi (Gold), Ihsanullah (Brand Ambassador, Silver), Faisal Akram (Emerging).

Karachi Kings (8) James Vince and Hasan Ali (Diamond), Shan Masood (Brand Ambassador), Shoaib Malik (Mentor) and Tabraiz Shamsi (all Gold), Mir Hamza (Successful relegation request) and Muhammad Akhlaq (both Silver), Muhammad Irfan Khan (Emerging).

Quetta Gladiators (8) Rilee Rossouw (Platinum), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Jason Roy and Wanindu Hasaranga (all Diamond), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Brand Ambassador) Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Hasnain (all Gold), Will Smeed (Silver).

Peshawar Zalmi (8) Babar Azam and Rovman Powell (both Platinum), Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all Diamond), Mohammad Haris (Brand Ambassador) and Aamir Jamal (both Gold), Khurram Shahzad (Silver), Haseebullah (Emerging).

Some of the star foreign players registered in the top two categories:

Platinum: Daniel Sams, Ashton Agar (both Australia), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (all Afghanistan), Ben Duckett, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Dawid Malan, Luke Wood, Reece Topley, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills (all England), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), James Neesham (New Zealand), Rassie van der Dussen, Imran Tahir (both South Africa), Maheesh Theekshana, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (all Sri Lanka), Kieron Pollard, Romario Shepherd, Brandon King Sherfane Rutherford and Kyle Mayers (all West Indies)

Diamond: Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi (both Afghanistan), Ben McDermott (Australia), Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahmudullah (all Bangladesh), Dan Lawrence, Gus Atkinson, Jordan Cox, Liam Dawson, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope, Richard Gleeson, Sam Hain (all England), Tim Seifert, Martin Guptill, Chad Bowes (all New Zealand), George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Reeza Hendricks, Wayne Parnell, Sisanda Magala (all South Africa), Dilshan Madushanka, Charith Asalanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Sadeera Samarawickrama (all Sri Lanka), Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Rahkeem Cornwall, Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Hayden Walsh (all West Indies)