The six HBL Pakistan Super League sides confirmed their line-ups for the sixth edition of Pakistan Cricket Board’s marquee event, which will be held in Karachi and Lahore from February 20 to March 22, 2021.
In the Platinum Category, all-rounder Hasan Ali, who played the first five seasons for Peshawar Zalmi, was picked up by Islamabad United as a wildcard pick, Australia’s Chris Lynn moved from Lahore Qalandars to Multan Sultans, world’s No 1 T20I bowler Rashid Khan of Afghanistan was scooped by Lahore Qalandars, Quetta Gladiators went strong and snapped up England’s explosive Tom Banton and Universe Boss, Chris Gayle, while David Miller was snapped by Peshawar Zalmi as the left-hander is now set to become the latest South African to make his HBL Pakistan Super League debut.
In the Diamond Category, Karachi Kings opted for two all-rounders – world’s No.1 ranked Mohammad Nabi and Dan Christian of Australia –Peshawar Zalmi strengthened their side by snapping up world’s No.2 ranked T20I bowler Mujeeb Ur Rehman of Afghanistan and then added Guyana’s all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford to their roster, while Islamabad United picked up Somerset all-rounder Lewis Gregory.
In the Gold Category, Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings picked Samit Patel and Chadwick Walton, respectively, Peshawar Zalmi took Amad Butt, Usman Shinwari was relocated from Qalandars to Gladiators, while Islamabad United picked Phil Salt.
In the Silver Category, Islamabad United picked Iftikhar Ahmad, Reece Topley and Rohail Nazir; Karachi Kings opted for Danish Aziz, Joe Clarke, Mohammad Ilyas and Zeeshan Malik; Lahore Qalandars snapped up Mohammad Faizan, Tom Abell, Salman Ali Agha and Zeeshan Ashraf; Multan Sultans selected Adam Lyth, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohaibullah and Sohail Khan; Peshawar Zalmi went for Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Saqib Mahmood and Umaid Asif, while Quetta Gladiators strengthened their side with Abdul Nasir, Cameron Delport and Qais Ahmed.
Islamabad United, assistant coach, Saeed Ajmal: “The Draft has gone exactly the way we had hoped for. We picked Hasan Ali, who is in excellent form and will strengthen our bowling that now comprises Faheem Ashraf, Gregory Lewis, Musa Khan, Recee Topley, Shadab Khan and Zafar Gohar. We then opted for two wicketkeeper/batsmen in Phil Salt and Rohail Nazir. Overall, we are happy with our selections and hopefully these will reflect in our performances.”
Karachi Kings’ Cricket Director – Wasim Akram: “I am very pleased with the way the Draft went as we picked almost all the players we wanted to. The thought was to have a balanced side and try to cover all bases with players who are good finishers. Overall, I am very happy with the players we have roped in and I am confident we will be a formidable side in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2021.”
Lahore Qalandars’ head coach – Aqib Javed: “I am delighted to have scooped a match-winner in Rashid Khan, but Samit Patel’s pick is something that gave me the most satisfaction. Our team combination over the past few events has been around Samit and I was a bit worried that he may be picked by some other side after we were unable to retain him.”
Quetta Gladiators head coach – Moin Khan: “We welcome Tom Banton and Chris Gayle to the Gladiators side. We were particularly keen to have Gayle following the retirement of Shane Watson as we wanted someone who is highly experienced and a match-winner in our ranks. We didn’t have an event to remember last year, but with the players we have selected for the upcoming event, I remain confident that we will bounce back strongly.”
Peshawar Zalmi’s Cricket Director – Mohammad Akram: “We had come to the Draft with an aim to strengthen our middle-order and I am pleased that we were able to lock David Miller and Sherfane Rutherford. Miller is one of the most lethal and finest finishers of the game, while Sherfane is an explosive batsman with a wide range of shots who can also bowl. These two picks, supported by Mujeeb Ur Rehman, will improve the overall outlook of our side and we’ll be a more dominant side in the upcoming event.”
Final squads
Islamabad United – Ahmed Saifi Abdullah (emerging); Alex Hales (Platinum; traded from Karachi Kings); Akif Javed (supplementary); Asif Ali (gold); Chris Jordon (supplementary); Colin Munro (diamond); Faheem Ashraf (diamond); Iftikhar Ahmed (silver); Hasan Ali (platinum), Hussain Talat (gold, brand ambassador); Lewis Gregory (diamond); Mohammad Wasim Jnr (emerging); Musa Khan (silver, successful relegation request); Phil Salt (gold); Rohail Nazir, Reece Topley (both silver); Shadab Khan (platinum); Zafar Gohar (silver, successful relegation request)
Karachi Kings - Amir Yamin (gold); Arshad Iqbal (emerging); Babar Azam (platinum); Colin Ingram (platinum, traded from Islamabad United); Chadwick Walton (gold); Dan Christian (diamond); Danish Aziz (silver); Imad Wasim (diamond, successful relation request); Joe Clarke (silver); Mohammad Amir (platinum); Mohammad Nabi (diamond); Mohammad Ilyas (silver); Noor Ahmed (supplementary); Sharjeel Khan (gold), Qasim Akram (emerging); Waqas Maqsood (silver, brand ambassador); Zeeshan Malik (silver)
Lahore Qalandars – Ahmed Danyal (supplementary); Ben Dunk (gold); David Wiese (diamond); Dilbar Hussain (gold); Fakhar Zaman (diamond, brand ambassador); Haris Rauf (diamond); Maaz Khan (emerging); Mohammad Faizan (silver); Mohammad Hafeez (platinum); Joe Denly (supplementary); Rashid Khan (platinum); Samit Patel (gold); Shaheen Shah Afridi (platinum); Sohail Akhtar (silver, successful relegation request); Tom Abell, Salman Ali Agha (both silver); Zaid Alam (emerging); Zeeshan Ashraf (silver)
Multan Sultans– Adam Lyth (silver); Carlos Brathwaite (supplementary); Chris Lynn; Shahid Afridi (both platinum); Imran Tahir (diamond, mentor); Imran Khan Snr (supplementary); James Vince (gold); Khushdil Shah (diamond); Mohammad Rizwan (silver); Mohammad Umar (emerging); Rilee Rossouw (platinum); Shahnawaz Dhani (emerging), Shan Masood (gold, successful relegation request); Sohaib Maqsood, Sohaibullah; Sohail Khan (all silver); Sohail Tanvir (Diamond, brand ambassador); Usman Qadir (gold)
Peshawar Zalmi– Abrar Ahmed (emerging); Amad Butt (gold); David Miller (platinum); Haider Ali (gold); Imam-ul-Haq (silver); Kamran Akmal (diamond, successful relegation request); Liam Livingstone (gold); Mohammad Amir Khan (supplementary); Mohammad Irfan Snr; Mohammad Imran; Mohammad Imran Randhawa (all silver); Mujeeb Ur Rehman (diamond); Ravi Bopara (supplementary); Saqib Mahmood (silver); Sherfane Rutherford (diamond); Shoaib Malik (platinum); Umaid Asif (silver); Wahab Riaz (platinum)
Quetta Gladiators (retained) – Abdul Nasir (silver); Anwar Ali (silver, successful relegation request); Arish Ali Khan (emerging); Azam Khan (gold); Ben Cutting (diamond); Cameron Delport (silver); Chris Gayle (platinum); Dale Steyn (supplementary); Mohammad Hasnain (diamond); Mohammad Nawaz (diamond); Naseem Shah (gold); Qais Ahmed (silver); Saim Ayub (emerging) Sarfaraz Ahmed; Tom Banton (both platinum); Usman Khan (supplementary); Usman Shinwari (gold) and Zahid Mahmood (silver, brand ambassador)
Team combination
Each side must have a minimum squad of 16 players and can have a maximum squad of 18 players as per the following combination – three platinum, three diamond, three gold, five silver, two emerging and two supplementary (optional)
· The 16-player squad must include five foreign and 11 local players; while the 18-player squad can include six foreign and 12 local players or five foreign and 13 local players
· The playing XI must include a minimum of three foreign players and can include a maximum of four foreign players
. Each team has one wildcard pick this year that allows them to pick a player from Silver category and above in any category between Gold and Platinum.