Lahore Qalandars
Having finished rock bottom in each of the three seasons, the only direction the Lahore Qalandars can go is upwards. However, we say this about the most lucrative PSL franchise every year and yet they prove us wrong with the unflinching stagnation of their mediocrity – on show at least
This year they have the global superstar AB de Villiers as the talisman, as the South African would look to do what Brendon McCullum failed to do in the last season. Qalandars have also brought in Mohammad Hafeez, who will be leading them, having had successes with Peshawar Zalmi.
With Pakistani stars like Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Afridi in their ranks, Qalandars have a strong team on paper. Carlos Brathwaite adds to the international firepower as well.
Will it be fourth time lucky?
Squad: Hasan Khan, Rahat Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Anton Devcich, Agha Salman, Sohail Akhtar, AB de Villiers, Mohammad Hafeez (c), Carlos Brathwaite, Corey Anderson, Sandeep Lamichhane, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Imran, Umair Masood, Brendan Taylor, Gauhar Ali, Aizaz Cheema, and Haris Rauf.
Easily the best side not to win a PSL title so far, Quetta Gladiators finished runners-up in the first two seasons. Much of their success is owed to the captaincy of Sarfaraz Ahmed
Karachi Kings
While they haven’t been as wretched as their archrivals, King too have struggled in the first three PSL seasons, failing to make a single final. As usual they are represented by a strong Pakistani core, spearheaded by Babar Azam, who will look to add to his growing reputation in the shortest format, where he currently is the number one ranked international batsman.
Skipper Imad Wasim has showed glimpses of being a truly match winning all-rounder in the Pakistani jersey recently, and he definitely has showcased more than that in his bowling. Mohammad Amir might have a thing or two to prove as his reputation as a limited-overs threat continues to nosedive ahead of the World Cup.
Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Shinwari might feel the need to justify their presence in the national squads, given their showings recently in South Africa.
The foreign power for Karachi Kings lies in the two Colins – Munro and Ingram – while Ravi Bopara remains their most tried and tested international star.
Squad: Imad Wasim (c), Colin Munro, Mohammad Amir, Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, Usman Khan Shinwari, Mohammad Rizwan, Ravi Bopara, Sikandar Raza, Awais Zia, Usama Mir, Aaron Summers, Sohail Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ali Imran, Abrar Ahmed, Aamer Yamin, Ben Dunk, Liam Livingstone and Jaahid Ali.
Multan Sultans
With new owners, Multan Sultans would feel like debutants all over again, but they do have the experience of a PSL season to fall back to. While their headline foreign signing Steve Smith had to back out owing to injury, Sultans have the likes of Shahid Afridi to singlehandedly take care of the star power.
There are few better T20 skippers around than Shoaib Malik. And in Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Shan Masood and Mohammad Abbas the Sultans have a proven Pakistani core.
On the foreign front, Nicholas Pooran is a great buy. But Sultans’ performance depends largely on their local contingent.
Squad: Shoaib Malik (c), Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Irfan, Umar Siddiq, Mohammad Junaid, Shahid Afridi, Joe Denly, Qais Ahmad, Nicolas Pooran, Laurie Evans, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Ilyas, Daniel Christian, Tom Moores, Ali Shafiq, and ShakeelAns
Quetta Gladiators
Easily the best side not to win a PSL title so far, Quetta Gladiators finished runners-up in the first two seasons. Much of their success is owed to the captaincy of Sarfaraz Ahmed who rose as a successful international captain owing to his leadership of the Gladiators.
In Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine they have absolute stars of global T20 franchise cricket. Shane Watson also adds to their all-round international strength.
Domestically, the likes of Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal might feel that PSL could be the platform that allows them a pathway into the national side again. The two have done well over the past three seasons.
However, once again, it would be the think-tank featuring Sarfaraz, Sir Viv Richards and Moin Khan, which would form the strength of the Gladiators.
Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Sunil Narine, Umar Akmal, Shane Watson, Mohammad Nawaz, RileeRossouw, Anwar Ali, Saud Shakeel, Dwayne Bravo, Fawad Ahmed, Mohammad Asghar, Danish Aziz, Ahsan Ali, Ghulam Mudassar, Naseem Shah, Harry Gurney, Ahmed Shehzad, Azam Khan, and Jalat Khan.
Peshawar Zalmi
Last year’s runners-up, and champions of PSL 2, Peshawal Zalmi have made a headline signing in Kieron Pollard. However, the rest of their squad is pretty much the same as the core that has given them their successes.
In addition to Darren Sammy, Zalmi have, however, added Misbah-ul-Haq to their ranks as well. The two time PSL winning captain might not have the same to offer with the bat as he did in his heyday, but he brings an unmatched brain to the table, which has masterminded two triumphs out of the three seasons.
Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal are the bowling and batting front-runners for Zalmi. Hasan Ali is the local star who will lead the bowling attack.
Squad: Darren Sammy, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Kamran Akmal, Liam Dawson, Umaid Asif, Khalid Usman, Sameen Gul, Kieron Pollard, Misbah-ul-Haq, Dawid Malan, Umar Amin, Wayne Madsen, Sohaib Maqsood, Jamal Anwar, Nabi Gul, Chris Jordan, Waqar Salamkheil, Ibtisam Sheikh, and Samiullah Afridi.
Islamabad United
The defending champions and two-time PSL winners might have lost their inspirational captain, but they have retained pretty much the same squad that bulldozed everyone en route to last year’s championship.
Luke Ronchi will once again be key for United, who will also boast Ian Bell along with Cameron Delport and Samir Patel as international stars.
Given their success last year, it’s evident that United have a string of players which have made it to the national side, led by Shadab Khan and followed by Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Rumman Raees and Sahibzada Farhan.
Ronchi will be absolutely huge for United, and it will be interesting to see how Mohammad Sami deals with the additional responsibility of captaincy. If United are to repeat their recent successes, however, one feels that one of their national players would have to lead them to it.
Squad: Luke Ronchi, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali, Mohammad Sami (c), Rumman Raees, Hussain Talat, Waqas Maqsood, Sahibzada Farhan, Zafar Gohar, Ian Bell, Samit Patel, Phil Salt, Cameron Delport, Mohammad Musa, Nasir Nawaz, Wayne Parnell, Zahir Khan, Amad Butt, and Rizwan Hussain.