Afridi released by Karachi Kings as PSL teams announce retentions

Published November 14, 2018
Former Pakistan star all-rounder Shahid Afridi was released by Karachi Kings as the six Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises announced their retrained players for its fourth edition of the glitzy Twenty20 league on Tuesday. —AFP/File photo
Former Pakistan star all-rounder Shahid Afridi was released by Karachi Kings as the six Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises announced their retrained players for its fourth edition of the glitzy Twenty20 league on Tuesday. —AFP/File photo

LAHORE: Former Pakistan star all-rounder Shahid Afridi was released by Karachi Kings as the six Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises announced their retrained players for its fourth edition of the glitzy Twenty20 league on Tuesday.

Afridi, one of the greatest players in the shortest format of the game, will now be available in the player draft as the Kings retained Mohammad Amir, Babar Azam and New Zealand opener Colin Munro as their Platinum picks with South African all-rounder Colin Ingram moving to Diamond category as Player Ambassador.

All the six teams, including the former Multan Sultans and currently referred to as ‘The Sixth Team’ before its repackaged rights are sold by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the November 20 player draft, announced their retentions.

Last year’s champions Islamabad United retained all three Platinum players in Luke Ronchi, Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf.

With Mohammad Hafeez going back into the draft, Peshawar Zalmi opted for the pace duo of Wahab Riaz and Hassan Ali in their Platinum roster. Zalmi will use their lone Platinum pick at the Draft to pick a foreign player while seasoned wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal moves to the Diamond roster as Player Ambassador.

Sunil Narine, who moved from Lahore Qalandars to Quetta Gladiators as part of a blockbuster trade, joins Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed to complete Quetta’s Platinum retentions. Star Australian all-rounder Shane Watson moves to Diamond as Player Mentor.

The Sixth Team’s retentions include star Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik in Platinum and left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan in Diamond as Player Ambassador.

Lahore Qalandars, who have the first pick at this season’s draft, retained opening batsman Fakhar Zaman as their only Platinum player while leg-spinner Yasir Shah was retained in Diamond.

Fast-rising pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, appointed Lahore Qalandar Ambassador, drops down to Silver. And this means Lahore will go the Draft with four Silver players namely Shaheen, Sohail Akhtar, Hassan Khan and Agha Salman.

Since the Qalandars have already traded their second round Silver pick with the Gladiators, they have given up their first round Silver pick as a result of this move.

Retentions:

ISLAMABAD UNITED: Faheem Ashraf, Luke Ronchi, Shadab Khan (all Platinum), Mohammad Sami, Asif Ali (both Diamond), Rumman Raees (Gold; relegation request successful), Sahibzada Farhan, Zafar Gohar, Waqas Maqsood, Hussain Talat (all silver; Hussain named ambassador).

PESHAWAR ZALMI: Wahab Riaz, Hassan Ali (both Platinum), Kamran Akmal, Darren Sammy (both Diamond, Kamran named ambassador), Liam Dawson (Gold), Umaid Asif, Khalid Usman (both Silver), Sameen Gul (Emerging). KARACHI KINGS: Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, Colin Munro (all Platinum), Colin Ingram, Imad Wasim, Usman Khan Shinwari (all Diamond, Ingram named ambassador), Ravi Bopara, Mohammad Rizwan (both Gold).

QUETTA GLADIATORS: Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sunil Narine (both Platinum), Shane Watson, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Nawaz (all Diamond, Watson named mentor), Rilee Roussow, Umar Akmal (both Gold, Roussow named ambassador), Anwar Ali, Saud Shakeel (both Silver).

LAHORE QALANDARS: Fakhar Zaman (Platinum), Yasir Shah (Diamond), Anton Devcich, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rahat Ali (all Gold), Agha Salman, Sohail Akhtar, Hassan Khan (all Silver).

SIXTH TEAM: Shoaib Malik (Platinum), Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan (both Diamond, Irfan named ambassador), Shan Masood (Gold), Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Umar Siddiq (all Silver), Mohammad Junaid (Emerging).

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...