LAHORE: All six franchises of the HBL-Pakistan Super League finalised their trades and retentions on Thursday, ahead of the international player draft next week for the upcoming season of the glitzy T20 extravaganza.

While Karachi Kings have snapped up Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood and pacer Hasan Ali, tearaway fast bowler Naseem Shah and all-rounder Imad Wasim have bolstered the ranks of Islamabad United.

Quetta Gladiators have added South African hard-hitter Rilee Rossouw, pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr and spinner Abrar Ahmed while Iftikhar Ahmed will play for Multan Sultans with the ninth edition of the PSL to begin from Feb 8.

Recently-appointed Pakistan T20 captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik have been retained by their respective teams with the player draft set for Dec 13.

Each franchise was allotted a maximum of eight retentions. Barring Multan Sultans, who retained seven players, all franchises made full use of their retention.

Reigning champions and winners of the last two seasons, Lahore Qalandars have retained skipper Shaheen in the Platinum category. In the Diamond category, Haris Rauf has been named the team’s brand ambassador. ICC’s sixth-ranked T20I all-rounder Sikandar Raza has been retained in Gold category while second-ranked T20I bowler Rashid Khan has been retained in Silver, though he may miss the tournament due to injury. Mirza Tahir Baig, after a successful relegation request, has been retained in Silver.

Two-time champions Islamabad United have retained ICC’s eighth-ranked T20I all-rounder Shadab Khan, alongside their successful trade of Naseem in the Platinum category. Diamond-category Imad Wasim, who moved to United from the Kings, has been named the team’s mentor, while Gold-category Faheeem Ashraf has been appointed the Brand Ambassador. Rumman Raees has been retained in Silver after a successful relegation request.

Multan Sultans have retained captain Rizwan, ICC’s second-ranked T20I batter, in the Platinum category. Iftikhar, after a successful trade with Quetta Gladiators, is Multan’s other Platinum player. Last season’s player of the tournament Ihsanullah has been appointed the side’s Brand Ambassador and has been retained in the Silver category.

Faisal Akram, after a successful trade with Kings, has been retained in Emerging.

Shan and Shoaib Malik have both been retained in Gold by Karachi Kings. Shan was traded for left-arm wrist-spinner Faisal Akram, ahead of the end of the trade window. Shan has also been named the Brand Ambassador while Malik has been appointed team mentor. Mir Hamza has been retained in Silver, after a successful relegation request.

Quetta Gladiators have retained world’s fifth-ranked T20I batter Rossouw in Platinum and third-ranked T20I bowler Wanindu Hasaranga in Diamond. Wasim and Abrar, after a successful trade, have been retained in Diamond and Gold respectively. Jason Roy, who holds the record for the highest individual score in HBL PSL history, has also been retained in Diamond. Sarfaraz has been appointed Quetta Gladiator’s Brand Ambassador and is retained in the Gold category.

Babar, the most successful batter in HBL PSL history and currently ranked fourth in the ICC T20I rankings, has been retained in Platinum by Peshawar Zalmi alongside West Indies power-hitter Rovman Powell. Mohammad Haris has been retained in the Gold category and has been named the Brand Ambassador as well.

Following the finalisation of all trades and retention, the Sultans will now have the first pick in the first round of the Platinum category.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2023