LAHORE: The window for foreign players to register for the draft of the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League was opened Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board said.

The cash-rich T20 league is set to be held from February 9 to March 19 next year, while the dates for its draft are yet to be announced. However, the player lists have been shared with the six franchises.

Eight Pakistan internationals will go into the PSL draft with their categories upgraded. Barring Aamer Jamal, who made his T20 International debut in September, the remaining seven players are presently in the Pakistan squad for the T20 World Cup.

Pacer Mohammad Wasim Junior (Islamabad United) has been upgraded to the Diamond category and so has been the Multan Sultans duo of Shahnawaz Dahani and Shan Masood. Peshawar Zalmi batters Haider Ali and Mohammad Haris will see themselves upgraded from Silver to Gold category while Quetta Gladiators’ Mohammad Nawaz and Naseem Shah — Gold last year — will enter the draft as Diamond category players.

Meanwhile, the categories of Pakistan discards Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Sohaib Maqsood, Wahab Riaz and Sarfaraz Ahmed have been downgraded.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2022