On Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a star-studded list of 25 international players who have made themselves available for the upcoming Pakistan Super League edition.
Players like David Miller, Rashid Khan, Chris Gayle, and Dale Steyn are part of the ‘Platinum’ category of foreign stars of the highest pedigree.
Last month, for the sixth edition of the tournament, which is due to take place later this year, the PCB released the categories of players, announcing that the captain of the national team, Babar Azam, was also in the ‘Platinum’ category along with Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir.
However, because of a “packed international calendar during the February to March window” some of these players will only be partially available for PSL2021, the PCB said.
The cricket body said the list of international players in the group included top-ranking T20I batsman Dawid Malan, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Lynn, Alex Hales, Morne Morkel, Mohammad Nabi, Imran Tahir, Tom Banton, and Chris Jordan in a press release released today, all of whom confirmed their availability for the tournament.
The six PSL franchises will “make key trade and retention decisions” prior to the player draft scheduled for January 10 in Lahore after the announcement of the names of the 25 international players in the “Platinum” tier.
According to the PCB, each team is allowed a limit of eight retainers.
The PCB said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 Player of the Decade Rashid Khan will be one of the main attractions of the draft, providing more information about the players.
“The Afghanistan leg-spinner has bagged a complete of 338 wickets in 244 T20 games besides his staggering T20I numbers of 89 wickets in 48 matches,” it said.
South African player Miller, who has yet to play within the PSL, is going to be one among the foremost wanted players for the franchises, the handout added. Morkel, Rassie van der Dussen, Tahir, Colin Ingram, and Rilee Rossouw have also been included within the Platinum category.
A “major attraction” will also be West Indies’ Gayle, who represented Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars in previous editions of the tournament. Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite, Lendl Simmons, and Evin Lewis are the other players from West Indies.
Apart from Malan, Alex Hales of England, who was part of the Kings’ winning squad in last year’s version, is also on the team. The Platinum roster also includes Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, and Tom Banton.
The two other Afghanistan players on the team, along with Rashid Khan, are Spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and All-Rounder Mohammad Nabi.
The Thisara Perera of Sri Lanka and Isuru Udana also appear on the list.
The PCB said, “Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman and Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichanne who have both played for [Lahore Qalandars] in the past complete the list,”
The PCB was pleased to release the star list of players for the Platinum category despite the unprecedented circumstances we face as a result of the Covid-19 and player availability, too, is affected by a packed FTP calendar.” Director Commercial Babar Hamid stated.
He said the PSL 2021 is “another exciting season” as all games will again take place in Pakistan.