It might be too soon for predictions, but the draft for the third season of the Pakistan Super League has got everyone excited about what lies in store for all of us. Here’s a brief review of the draft activity and how the squads shape up for PSL 3.
The franchise owners with PCB Chairman Najam Sethi
Imran Tahir
Multan Sultans
Shoaib Malik (c), Kieron Pollard, Kumar Sangakkara, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Irfan Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Imran Tahir, Darren Bravo, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Abbas, Nic Pooran, Abdullah Shafiq, Saif Badar. Supplementary: Hardus Viljoen, Umar Gul, Umar Siddiq, Ross Whiteley.
The Sultans have taken the number of teams in the PSL to six and now boast the highest run-getter in the league in Ahmed Shehzad. They have a core of former Kings in the shape of Shoaib Malik, who’ll be leading the side, Kumar Sangakkara and Kieron Pollard – all three of whom have underachieved in the PSL so far, just like their previous team.
The highlight picks for the Sultans are Imran Tahir (Platinum), Darren Bravo (Diamond) and Junaid Khan (Gold).
While a new franchise competing against five others that have played together for two seasons brings its own challenge, the Sultans do have the team that can go deep in PSL 3.
It’s hard to look beyond Chris Lynn and the mouthwatering opening partnership that he will recreate with skipper Brendon McCullum from Brisbane Heat. But for the third season in a row the Qalandars are heavy on the batting, and flaunt easily the most explosive lineup in the league.
Will they finish at the bottom for the third year running as well?
The addition of Sohail Khan and the presence of Yasir Shah does give the bowling a tinge of experience, but neither of them is a limited-overs specialist.
So it will be up to McCullum, Lynn, Fakahr Zaman, Umar Akmal and Cameron Delport to help outscore the opponents.
Lahore Qalandars
Islamabad United
Misbah-ul- Haq (c), Rumman Raees, Mohammad Sami, Andre Russell, Shadab Khan, Samuel Badree, Iftikhar Ahmed, Amad Butt, Asif Ali, JP Duminy, Luke Ronchi, Faheem Ashraf, Sam Billings, Zafar Gohar, Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat. Supplementary: Alex Hales, David Willey, Mohammad Hasan, Mohammad Hasnain
Faheem Ashraf could turn out to be the player of the next season. And if that happens the all-rounder can help propel the champions of the first season to the deep end.
While United have lost Shane Watson, who couldn’t quite deliver on his big name, they have added Luke Ronchi and JP Duminy and would also welcome Andre Russell back from suspension as well.
With the now Vice Captain Rumman Raees, along with Mohammad Sami, Shadab Khan and Samuel Badree, United probably have the most balanced bowling attack.
United struggled without Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif last year. Can Misbah’s side fill that void this time round?
Karachi Kings
Imad Wasim (c), Shahid Afridi, Usman Khan, Usama Mir, Khurram Manzoor, Ravi Bopara, Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Colin Ingram, Mitchell Johnson, Luke Wright, David Wiese, Tabish Khan, Mohammad Irfan Jnr., Hasan Mohsin. Supplementary: Colin Munro, Eoin Morgan, Saifullah Bangash
For the second year in a row, a PSL franchise has dumped Chris Gayle. This time though there were no takers.
Even so, Kings have conjured the headline trade of the PSL so far, by bagging Shahid Afridi from Zalmi. With Imad Wasim as the captain, and the likes of Babar Azam, Mohammed Amir and Usman Khan Shinwari, Karachi aren’t short of big name locals.
Mitchell Johnson is their headline buy, and an all left-arm pace attack of Johnson, Amir and Shinwari could be the bowling lineup of the season.
Luke Wright might turn out to be a shrewd buy as well.
Quetta Gladiators
Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Kevin Pietersen, Rilee Rossouw, Mohammad Nawaz, Anwar Ali, Mahmudullah, Umar Amin, Mir Hamza, Asad Shafiq, Shane Watson, Carlos Brathwaite, Rahat Ali, Rameez Raja jnr, Saad Ali, Saud Shakeel, Hassan Khan. Supplementary: Jason Roy, Rashid Khan, Azam Khan, Faraz Ahmed Khan
The Gladiators have added two big names to pretty much the same squad that has made both the PSL finals: Shane Watson and Carlos Brathwaite. And Quetta that already got the most out of the lowest profile squad, might be the team that helps Watson finally make it big.
But the Gladiators would be without Ahmed Shehzad, and would need to replace the runs that he was regularly getting.
It’s pretty much a case of if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. And with two runners-up finishes, the Gladiators might just start PSL 3 as the favourites.
Defending Champions Peshawar Zalmi
Peshawar Zalmi
Darren Sammy (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Shakib al Hasan, Kamran Akmal, Hasan Ali, Haris Sohail, Chris Jordan, Mohammad Asghar, Dwayne Bravo, Tamim Iqbal, Hammad Azam, Saad Nasim, Taimoor Sultan, Sameen Gul, Ibtisam Sheikh. Supplementary: Andre Fletcher, Evin Lewis, Khalid Usman, Mohammad Arif
Can Zalmi fill the vacuum left by Shahid Afridi’s departure? That might depend on how Dwayne Bravo and Shakib al Hasan perform. But along with the cricketing ability, it is Afridi’s presence and aura – which attracted a major chunk of the Zalmi following that made them the most popular team in the league – that the defending champions would miss.
Kamran Akmal was huge for Peshawar last season, and he along with Mohammed Hafeez and Haris Sohail would form the local batting core for Zalmi. In Hasan Ali, Zalmi have not only the finest bowler in the league, but perhaps the world right now.
If Darren Sammy and Bravo can help grind the West Indian groove inside the dressing room, Zalmi would fancy their chances of retaining their status as the champions, champions…
