PSL 2025 Draft likely to be moved from Gwadar to Lahore

The players’ draft ceremony of the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is likely to be shifted from Gwadar to Lahore.

Nukta has learnt that franchises have requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to either hold the PSL 10 players draft ceremony in Lahore or Karachi.

A well-placed source in a franchise told Nukta that the franchises don’t want the ceremony to be held at Gwadar due to security issues.

“You know it’s not easy to hold the event there. You don’t hold domestic cricket matches there and you are going to hold the PSL 10 players draft in Gwadar. It’s not reasonable step,” the source said.

The source said that Islamabad United wanted to hold the ceremony in the UK.

The source said that the PCB has not yet officially reacted to the demand of the franchises.

“We have not yet informed by the Board what it is going to do,” the source said.

The PCB a few days ago announced that the players draft ceremony will be held at Gwadar on January 11.

The Board had announced Gwadar as the ceremony venue without consulting franchises, a franchise source had claimed while talking to this correspondent.

PSL excitement

The PSL excitement is picking up with foreign players showing huge interest in the event which this time will have a clash with the world’s top league, the IPL of India.

Those foreign players who have signed up for the draft include New Zealand's Adam Milne, Australia’s David Warner, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, Rassie van der Dussen of South Africa, Mathew Short of Australia, Gudakesh Motie of the West Indies, Alex Hales of England, Luke Wood of England, Sean Abbott of Australia, Corbin Bosch of South Africa, Colin Munro of New Zealand, Tom Kohler-Cadmore of England, Rilee Rossouw of South Africa, Daryl Mitchell of New Zealand, Alex Carey of Australia, Shakib-al-Hasan of Bangladesh, Dawid Malan of England, Tom Curran of England, Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh and Jason Roy of England.

The PCB a few days ago also had confirmed 87 players renewal categories.

Hasan Ali of Karachi Kings, Mohammad Amir of Quetta Gladiators and Saim Ayub of Peshawar Zalmi along with Usama Mir of Multan Sultans have been promoted to the platinum category from the diamond category.

Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan (both Islamabad United), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (all Lahore Qalandars), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (both Multan Sultans) and Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi) were retained in platinum category.

As many as 16 players are part of the diamond category which includes Quetta Gladiators’ and Multan Sultans four players each, three players from Karachi Kings, Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi’s two players each, while Lahore Qalandars have one player in this category.

Moreover 30 players are part of the gold category which includes Peshawar Zalmi’s seven players in this category. Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators have five players while Islamabad United and Multan Sultans have four players in gold category.

In the 16 players selected in silver category, four Gladiators’ and Qalandars players are part of this category while Peshawar Zalmi have three players in this category. Kings and Sultans have two players each in silver category while United have one player in this category.

In the emerging category, among the 12 players selected, three players each are part of Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi. Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans have two players while Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators have one player each.

Islamabad United have the event for a record three times. Lahore Qalandars have won it two times while Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans have lifted the trophy once each.

United will defend the title in the event. The PCB was forced to shift the marquee event to April-May 2025 due to the ICC Champions Trophy which Pakistan will host in February-March.