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LAHORE: All six franchises of the HBL Pakistan Super on Saturday announced their retentions ahead of the PSL 2025 player draft which is scheduled to take place on Jan 11 in Lahore.
According to a press release issued by the PCB, each franchise was allowed a maximum of eight retentions from their previous squad. Three made full use of the retentions except Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi – who retained 7 players each.
Defending champions Islamabad United have retained their skipper Shadab Khan and star fast bowler Naseem Shah in the Platinum category.
Imad Wasim, who is also the mentor of United, has been retained in Diamond category along with Azam Khan. In Gold, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has been named as the brand ambassador while Haider Ali has also been retained in the same category.
New Zealand’s Colin Munro, the second leading run-scorer among overseas batters in the PSL history, has been retained in the Silver category alongside Rumman Raees.
Multan Sultans have retained captain Mohammad Rizwan and Usama Mir in Platinum.
David Willey, who is set to feature in his fourth PSL edition, Iftikhar Ahmed and opening batter Usman Khan have been retained in the Diamond category. Willey was also named the mentor of the side while Iftikhar will be their brand ambassador.
England pacer Chris Jordan, who has so far represented three franchises in the PSL, has been kept in Gold while wrist-spinner Faisal Akram is stationed in Silver category.
Captain Babar Azam and opener Saim Ayub have been retained by Peshawar Zalmi in Platinum.
Mohammad Haris has been retained in Diamond by Zalmi while spin bowling trio of Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz and Sufyan Moqim have been retained in Silver. Sufyan is the brand ambassador for Zalmi.
Pacer Ali Raza has been retained in the emerging category by Zalmi.
Quetta Gladiators have kept South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw, spinner Abrar Ahmed and pacer Mohammad Amir in Diamond. Amir will also act as the team’s mentor.
Saud Shakeel, retained in the Gold category, has been made the brand ambassador for Gladiators. West Indies’ Akeal Hosein and Mohammad Wasim Jr have also been retained in Gold. In the Silver category, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay and spinner Usman Tariq have been retained by Gladiators.
Karachi Kings have retained Hasan Ali and England’s James Vince in Diamond. Skipper Shan Masood and Mohammad Irfan Khan have remained in Gold category.
Arafat Minhas and Zahid Mehmood along with New Zealand’s Tim Seifert have been retained in Silver by Kings. Arafat is also the brand ambassador for Karachi Kings.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman have been retained in Platinum by Lahore Qalandars. Haris Rauf, who is their brand ambassador, has been retained by Qalandars.
Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2025
