PSL 2023: Babar Azam moves to Peshawar Zalmi

Lahore, 11 November 2022: Pakistan all-format captain and the most successful batter in the history of the tournament, Babar Azam, will don Peshawar Zalmi colours in the eighth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League.

In one of the biggest trades of the tournament, 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi snapped Babar in the Platinum category and the first pick in the supplementary round for Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik who move to Karachi Kings, the winners of the 2020 edition, in Platinum and Diamond categories, respectively, before the trade and retention window closed on Friday evening.

During the trade and retention window, a side can assemble up to eight players before the HBL PSL Player Draft, in which it can increase the squad side to 18 players - three each in Platinum, Diamond and Gold categories, five Silver, two Emerging and up to two Supplementary categories.

Babar Azam, who was at Islamabad United before moving to Karachi Kings, is the only player in Platinum category for Peshawar Zalmi. Wahab Riaz and Sherfane Rutherford are in Diamond, while Mohammad Haris, who has lightened up the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with his fearless batting, is in Gold. Peshawar Zalmi are the only side to retain seven players.

Haider is Karachi’s only player in the platinum category, while Shoaib joins Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir in the Diamond. They have retained Sharjeel Khan, Mir Hamza and Aamir Yamin in the Silver category and Qasim Akram in the Emerging.

Lahore Qalandars, the defending champions, have kept retained Shaheen Afridi, their captain, and Rashid Khan in the Platinum category. All-rounder David Wiese stays in Diamond category. While Lahore have retained seven players, they will announce their eighth retention in due course.

Multan Sultans, the winners of the 2021 edition and the finalists in the last one, have retained middle-order batters Khushdil Shah and Rilee Rossouw in Diamond category and Tim David in Gold. Their captain Mohammad Rizwan, the highest run getter in T20 Internationals since the beginning of 2021 and the player of HBL PSL 2021, is their only retention in the Platinum. Fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani, named Multan Sultans’ Brand Ambassador, he joins David in Gold category.

Islamabad United, the winners of the inaugural and third editions in 2016 and 2018, have retained their captain Shadab Khan in the Platinum category. They have kept two players in the Diamond with Asif Ali being named as the Brand Ambassador and Mohammad Wasim Jnr. Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali will continue with United in Gold.

Quetta Gladiators have retained Mohammad Nawaz, who has been with them since the inaugural edition, in the Platinum. Jason Roy and Iftikhar Ahmed are retained in Diamond category. Their captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Hasnain (Brand Ambassador) are in the Gold category.

As it was last year, 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.

Complete list of retained players:

Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (Platinum). Asif Ali (Brand Ambassador) and Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Diamond). Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali (Gold). Colin Munro and Paul Stirling (Silver).

Karachi Kings: Haider Ali (Platinum). Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik (Diamond). Aamir Yamin, Mir Hamza and Sharjeel Khan (Silver). Qasim Akram (Emerging)

Lahore Qalandars: Rashid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum). David Wiese (Diamond). Abdullah Shafique (Gold). Harry Brook and Kamran Ghulam (Silver). Zaman Khan (Emerging). Eighth retention to be announced in due course.

Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (Platinum). Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw and Shan Masood (Diamond). Shahnawaz Dahani (Brand Ambassador) and Tim David (Gold). Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah (Emerging).

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (Platinum). Sherfane Rutherford and Wahab Riaz (Diamond). Mohammad Haris (Gold). Aamir Jamal (Brand Ambassador), Salman Irshad and Tom-Kohler Cadmore (Silver).

Quetta Gladiators: Mohammad Nawaz (Platinum). Iftikhar Ahmed and Jason Roy (Diamond). Mohammad Hasnain and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Gold). Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal (Mentor) and Will Smeed (Silver)

Meanwhile, leading T20 cricketers from around the globe have registered themselves for the HBL PSL Player Draft 2023. Four hundred and ninety-three players, of which 29 are in Platinum category and 81 in Diamond (names below), from both full member and associate nations have made themselves available for the player draft.

The maximum number of foreign players to register are from England (140). The next on the list – from full members - are Sri Lanka (60), Afghanistan (43), West Indies (38), Bangladesh (28), South Africa (25), Australia (14), Zimbabwe (11) and Ireland (nine).

PSL Tournament Director Usman Wahla: “Today we have checked another box on our journey towards the HBL Pakistan Super League 8. It gives me immense pleasure that the HBL PSL has transformed into one of the most successful and sought after leagues, and the interest and willingness of the T20 superstars from around the world to be a part of it is a testimony.

“Foreign players, from time to time, reflect on how the quality and competitiveness of the HBL PSL has helped them in enhancing their skillset. With every passing day, we are stepping up our efforts to ensure that the upcoming edition goes down as the best to have taken place. The presence of these superstars will light up the stadiums in Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi.”

The details of HBL PSL Player Draft 2023 will be announced in due course.

Foreign players registered in top two categories

Platinum - Aaron Finch, Adil Rashid, Akeal Hosein, Alex Hales, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Colin De Grandhomme, Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Dawid Malan, Evin Lewis, Jimmy Neesham, Lungi Ngidi, Martin Guptill, Moeen Ali, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rehman, Nicholas Pooran, Odean Smith, Rahkeem Cornwall, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Rassie van der Dussen, Reece Topley, Saqib Mahmood, Shakib Al Hasan, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and Wanindu Hasaranga De Silva

Diamond - Adam Hose, Andre Fletcher, Andrew Tye, Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Bas de Leede, Ben Mike, Benjamin Cutting, Bjorn Fortuin, Brandon King, Cameron Delport, Carlos Brathwaite, Chadwick Walton, Charith Asalanka, Craig Overton, Daniel Sams, Daniel Worrall, David Wiese, Dominic Drakes, Dushmantha Chameera, Dwaine Pretorius, Evan Jones, Fabian Allen, Fazalhaq Farooqi, George Dockrell, Gulbadin Naib, Hayden Walsh, Hazratullah Zazai, Imran Tahir, Jacques Snyman, James Bracey, James Fuller, James Vince, Jamie Overton, Janneman Malan, Jason Roy, Johnson Charles, Josh Little, Keemo Paul, Kevin Sinclair, Kieran Powell, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Laurie Evans, Lendl Simmons, Lewis Gregory, Lewis McManus, Liam Dawson, Liam Norwell, Luke Wood, Maheesh Theekshana, Mahmudullah Riyad, Marchant De Lange, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Michael Rippon, Migael Pretorius, Mushfiqur Rahim, Najibullah Zadran, Nkrumah Bonner, Ollie Pope, Olly Stone, Oshane Thomas, Patum Nissanka , Paul Walter, Qais Ahmad, Rehan Ahmed, Richard Gleeson, Rilee Rossouw, Roelof van der Merwe, Roston Chase, Ryan Gibson, Shai Hope, Shane Dadswell, Sherfane Rutherford, Sikandar Raza, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed, Thisara Perera, Thomas Kaber Phillip, Wayne Parnell and Will Jacks