KARACHI:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sent an updated list of foreign players to the franchises ahead of the PSL 10 players’ draft, which is scheduled for January 11.
The revised list includes Australian star Steve Smith, although sources confirm that Smith has declined the invitation to participate in the event due to other commitments. Similarly, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson also turned down the offer, but efforts to convince him to join are still ongoing.
Among the platinum category players in the new list are Australian cricketers David Warner, Matthew Short, Riley Meredith, and Steve Smith (subject to confirmation), along with Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman, England’s Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Curran, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore. New Zealand’s Finn Allen, Kane Williamson (subject to confirmation), and Mark Chapman are also part of the platinum category. Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka and West Indies’ Shai Hope are also included.
The participation of Adil Rashid is still pending confirmation, while the issue of obtaining NOCs from the English players, including Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow, has not been resolved yet. PCB is working on resolving the matter. Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan will only be able to participate as a batter due to his bowling ban.
The PCB is expected to release another updated list of players in the coming days. The PSL 10 is set to take place in April and May.
Revised draft schedule
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 draft has been rescheduled, with the event now slated to take place on January 13 in Lahore.
Initially set for an earlier date, the draft was postponed due to weather forecasts predicting rain, which necessitated a two-day adjustment.
This change provides the production team and broadcasters additional time to finalise preparations.
A rehearsal for the draft will be held on January 12, ensuring all arrangements are in place for the main event. Sources confirmed that the date change was made to ensure a smooth and well-organised event.
The draft, originally planned for Gwadar, will now be hosted at Bara Dari in Lahore. An official announcement regarding the updated schedule is expected shortly.
Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Jahangir Tareen, recently voiced dissatisfaction with the PSL’s decision-making process regarding the draft venue.
In an interview, Tareen criticised the management for selecting Gwadar without consulting franchise owners, describing the decision as rushed and lacking effective communication.
Meanwhile, the draft pick order for the platinum category were previously finalised.
Two-time champions Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in the opening round, followed by their arch-rivals Karachi Kings.
The 2019 champions Quetta Gladiators will pick third, while Peshawar Zalmi holds the fourth spot.
Last season’s runners-up, Multan Sultans, will pick fifth, with reigning champions Islamabad United selecting sixth.
Frustrated Tareen
Multan Sultans owner Ali Jahangir Tareen claimed that the selection of Gwadar as the venue for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 draft was made without consulting the franchise owners. In a recent interview, Tareen expressed frustration over the way the draft venue was chosen, describing the process as rushed and lacking proper communication.
He explained that one day, franchise owners received a message in the official PSL WhatsApp group.
“One day, we received a message in the PSL WhatsApp group saying that this year, the PSL draft will be in Gwadar,” Tareen said.
“One franchise owner, who was a bit upset, messaged and asked, ‘Sorry, just to clarify, is this a discussion or final?'” he added. “The reply came ‘Final, brother.'”
We were confused, thinking, ‘What does final mean?’ Then, we were told, ‘A press release is coming in three minutes,'” Tareen explained. “We were discussing London and Dubai, and then we received the message: ‘Gwadar final, brother.'”
