PSL 9 Franchises Announce Player Retention List

All six franchises have now completed their trades and player retention list in anticipation of the upcoming HBL Pakistan Super League 2024 (PSL 9) Player Draft, scheduled for December 13 at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

Each franchise was entitled to retain a maximum of eight players, with Multan Sultans being the exception as they retained seven players. Notably, all franchises maximized their retention quota.

Lahore Qalandars, the reigning champions and victors of the last two seasons, secured the retention of their captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, in the Platinum category. Haris Rauf, listed in the Diamond category, has been designated as the team’s brand ambassador. The Gold category includes ICC’s sixth-ranked T20I all-rounder Sikandar Raza, while second-ranked T20I bowler Rashid Khan, although potentially missing the tournament due to injury, has been retained in the Silver category. Mirza Tahir Baig, following a successful relegation request, maintains his position in the Silver category.

Two-time champions Islamabad United held onto ICC’s eighth-ranked T20I all-rounder Shadab Khan and successfully traded for Naseem Shah in the Platinum category. Imad Wasim, now in the Diamond category after moving from Karachi Kings, assumes the role of the team’s Mentor. Faheeem Ashraf, in the Gold category, has been appointed the Brand Ambassador. Rumman Raees, post a successful relegation request, remains in the Silver category.

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

Karachi Kings retained Shan Masood and Shoaib Malik in the Gold category. The trade involving Shan Masood, who was exchanged for left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram before the trade window’s closure, also saw him named the Brand Ambassador. Shoaib Malik, on the other hand, has been appointed the team Mentor. Mir Hamza, following a successful relegation request, retains his place in the Silver category.

Quetta Gladiators secured the retention of the world’s No. 5 T20I batter, Rilee Rossouw, in the Platinum category and the third-ranked T20I bowler, Wanindu Hasaranga, in the Diamond category. Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Abrar Ahmed, successfully retained through a trade, are listed in the Diamond and Gold categories, respectively. Jason Roy, holding the record for the highest individual score in HBL PSL history, is also retained in the Diamond category. Sarfaraz Ahmed, appointed Quetta Gladiator’s Brand Ambassador, retains his place in the Gold category.

Peshawar Zalmi, meanwhile, retained the most successful batter in HBL PSL history, Babar Azam, in the Platinum category alongside West Indies power-hitter Rovman Powell. Mohammad Haris retains his place in the Gold category and is named the Brand Ambassador.

Following the completion of all trades and retentions, Multan Sultans will have the first pick in the first round of the Platinum category, a result of trading Iftikhar Ahmed and Rilee Rossouw with Quetta. Naseem Shah’s move to Islamabad United also saw their first-round Platinum pick exchanged with Quetta Gladiator’s third-round Platinum pick.

Shan Masood’s move to Karachi Kings led to the exchange of their first-round Silver pick for Multan Sultan’s fourth-round Silver pick. Imad Wasim’s move to Islamabad United resulted in the exchange of Islamabad’s first-round Silver pick with Karachi’s second-round Silver pick.

Furthermore, both Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators are mandated to pick a local player in the Platinum category.

As per convention, each of the six sides will be equipped with a Right to Match Card, enabling them to select any player released from their roster during the draft.

Full retention list for each team for PSL 9 are as follows:

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).

Additionally, some of the star foreign players registered in the top two categories include:

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 Omarz