The six franchises of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) have revealed their player retentions ahead of the HBL PSL 2025 Players Draft, set to take place on January 11.
Each franchise was allowed to retain up to eight players from their previous squad. Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars, and Quetta Gladiators utilized the full quota, while Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, and Peshawar Zalmi opted to retain seven players each.
Defending champions and three-time HBL PSL winners, Islamabad United, retained their skipper Shadab Khan—last season’s Player of the Tournament—and fast bowler Naseem Shah in the Platinum category.
Imad Wasim, who will also serve as the team’s mentor, has been retained in the Diamond category alongside Azam Khan. In Gold, Salman Ali Agha has been named the brand ambassador, with Haider Ali also retained in this category.
Colin Munro, the second-highest overseas run-scorer in HBL PSL history, has been retained in the Silver category along with Rumman Raees.
Runners-up of the previous edition and winners of the HBL PSL 2021, Multan Sultans, have retained captain Mohammad Rizwan and leg-spinner Usama Mir in the Platinum category.
In Diamond, David Willey, who is entering his fourth PSL season, Iftikhar Ahmed, and opening batter Usman Khan have been retained. Willey has also been named the team’s mentor, while Iftikhar will serve as the brand ambassador.
Chris Jordan, who has previously represented three PSL franchises, has been retained in Gold, while wrist-spinner Faisal Akram has been retained in Silver.
One-time champions Peshawar Zalmi have retained skipper Babar Azam, the leading run-scorer in HBL PSL history with 3,504 runs, and rising star Saim Ayub in Platinum.
Wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris remains in the Diamond category, while spin bowlers Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, and Sufyan Moqim have been retained in Silver, with Sufyan named as the team’s brand ambassador.
Emerging pacer Ali Raza, who recently achieved a ten-wicket haul in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, has been retained in the Emerging category.
Quetta Gladiators, the 2019 HBL PSL champions, have retained prolific batter Rilee Rossouw, mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, and pacer Mohammad Amir in the Diamond category, with Amir also serving as the team mentor.
Saud Shakeel, retained in Gold, has been named the Gladiators’ brand ambassador. Top-ranked T20I bowler Akeal Hosein and all-rounder Mohammad Wasim Jr. have also been retained in Gold.
In the Silver category, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay and spinner Usman Tariq have been retained.
This season’s retention list sets the stage for an exciting players’ draft, as teams look to bolster their squads for HBL PSL 2025.
Full retentions:
Islamabad United (8)
Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah (both Platinum), Imad Wasim (mentor) and Azam Khan (Diamond), Salman Ali Agha (Brand Ambassador) and Haider Ali (Both Gold, Colin Munro and Rumman Raees (both Silver)
Multan Sultans (7)
Mohammad Rizwan and Usama Mir (both Platinum), David Willey (mentor), Iftikhar Ahmed (Brand Ambassador) and Usman Khan (all Diamond), Chris Jordan (Gold), Faisal Akram (Silver)
Peshawar Zalmi (7)
Babar Azam, Saim Ayub (both Platinum), Mohammad Haris (Diamond), Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz and Sufyan Moqim (Brand Ambassador) (all silver), Ali Raza (Emerging)
Quetta Gladiators (8)
Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir (mentor) and Rilee Rossouw (all Diamond), Akeal Hosein, Saud Shakeel (Brand Ambassador) and Mohammad Wasim Jnr (all Gold), Khawaja Muhammad Nafay and Usman Tariq (Silver)
Karachi Kings (7)
Hasan Ali and James Vince (both Diamond), Muhammad Irfan Khan and Shan Masood (both Gold), Arafat Minhas (Brand Ambassador), Tim Seifert and Zahid Mehmood (all Silver)
Lahore Qalandars (8)
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman (both Platinum), Haris Rauf (Brand Ambassador) and Sikandar Raza (both Diamond), Abdullah Shafique, Jahandad Khan and Zaman Khan (all Gold), David Wiese (Silver)
Successful category relegation requests:
Rumman Raees (Islamabad United), Hasan Ali, Shan Masood and Zahid Mehmood (all Karachi Kings), Abdullah Shafique (Lahore Qalandars), Faisal Akram (Multan Sultans)
Some of the star foreign players registered in the top two categories:
Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq Murid, Mohammad Nabi, Hazratullah Zazai, Qais Ahmad, Nangeyalia Kharote (all Afghanistan), David Warner, Cooper Connolly, Matthew Short, Riley Meredith, Sean Abbott, William Sutherland, Mark Steketee, Ashton Agar, Daniel Sams, Jason Behrendorff, Chris Lynn, Moises Henriques, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey, Josh Philippe, Benjamin Dwarshuis, Tanveer Sangha, Jake Lehmann, (all Australia), Mustafizur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Tawhid Hridoy (all Bangladesh), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sam Billings, Jason Roy, Joe Clarke, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills, Alex Hales, Laurie Evans, Dawid Malan, Luke Wood (all England), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Michael Bracewell, Martin Guptill, Ajaz Patel, Colin De Grandhomme, Ish Sodhi (All New Zealand), Rassie van Der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Corbin Bosch, Dwaine Pretorius, George Linde, Nandre Burger, Duan Jansen, Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder (all South Africa), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Dasun Shanaka, Dinesh Chandimal, Dunith Wellalage, Lahiru Kumara, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera (all Sri Lanka), Andries Gous, Corey Anderson (All USA), Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Matthew Forde, Kyle Mayers, Andre Fletcher, Obed McCoy, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Dominic Drakes, Shamar Springer, Hayden Walsh Jnr (All West Indies), Ryan Burl, Blessing Muzarabani (all Zimbabwe)
