PSL 4: Karachi Kings release Shahid Afridi ahead of players draft

All the six teams of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) were asked to retain a maximum of 10 players from their earlier roster and the category restrictions for retentions are the same as they were for squads of 16 players, i.e., a maximum of three Platinum, three Diamond, three Gold, five Silver and two Emerging players could be kept. The participating teams will go into the players’ draft on November 20 in Islamabad to give full shape to their respective squads from a pool featuring over 600 cricketers.

The fourth edition of the PSL will take place in February-March next year. Among the 10 players that two-time and defending champions Islamabad United have retained are Shadab Khan (Platinum), New Zealander Luke Ronchi (Platinum), Faheem Ashraf (Platinum), and others. The side has released the likes of Andre Russell, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, South African JP Duminy, Englishman Alex Hales, among others.

Kings also release Mitchell Johnson, Luke Wright, Eoin Morgan

In a major development, Karachi Kings released ace Pakistani player Shahid Afridi besides Australian Mitchell Johnson, New Zealander Luke Wright, England skipper Eoin Morgan and others, ESPNcricinfo reported. They retained Mohammad Amir (Platinum), Colin Munro (Platinum), Imad Wasim (Diamond), Ravi Bopara (Gold) and others. The Kings will now go to the draft without a pick option in Platinum category.

In April last year, the PCB issued a warning to Afridi and the Kings over the rules of transfer. The board had said that he still belonged to Peshawar Zalmi, his earlier franchise and added that the Kings could acquire Afridi’s services only after the transfer window opened.

In PSL 2018, Afridi became the first batsman in the tournament to hit four consecutive sixes against his former team Zalmi though he could not win his team on that occasion.

While Islamabad United won the PSL in 2016 and 2018 seasons, the Zalmi won the 2017 edition. The Kings finished third in the 2017 and 2018 editions.

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