The much-anticipated player draft for the 2025 season of Pakistan’s premier T20 league took place at the historic Huzoori Bagh in Lahore Fort, bringing together international stars and local talent in an exciting selection process.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell emerged as the first overall pick, secured by Lahore Qalandars as they aimed to reinforce their batting strength. The seasoned Kiwi batter, with 70 T20Is under his belt, is set to make his league debut this season.
The second pick saw Karachi Kings make a power move by selecting left-handed Australian batting maestro David Warner. With a staggering 12,727 runs in 392 T20 matches, Warner’s addition adds immense experience to Karachi’s squad.
Right to Match Drama and Platinum Picks
The draft saw intense competition as teams utilized strategic moves, including the Right to Match (RTM) card. Peshawar Zalmi activated this option to retain England’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore, preventing his transfer to Quetta Gladiators.
Quetta, however, responded by picking New Zealand’s Mark Chapman, a seasoned T20 campaigner with 81 international appearances.
Multan Sultans and Islamabad United finalized their Platinum round picks with Michael Bracewell and Matthew Short, respectively. Bracewell, an all-format New Zealand cricketer, boasts 149 T20 matches with 66 wickets and 2,744 runs, while Short adds further firepower to Islamabad’s explosive batting lineup.
Platinum Round Two: Strategic Selections
The second Platinum round saw Quetta Gladiators making a bold move by using their Wild Card pick to sign Pakistan’s all-rounder Faheem Ashraf. Their second pick was New Zealand’s Finn Allen, a dynamic opener known for his aggressive batting.
Karachi Kings focused on strengthening their pace attack, picking Adam Milne and using their Wild Card on Mohammad Abbas Afridi. Milne, a seasoned pacer with 213 wickets in 186 T20s, is expected to be a key weapon, while Abbas Afridi, the leading wicket-taker of PSL 2023, switches from Multan to Karachi.
Diamond, Gold, and Silver Rounds: Strengthening Core Squads
The Diamond round saw significant overseas inclusions, with Peshawar Zalmi securing Corbin Bosch, Islamabad United acquiring West Indies’ Jason Holder, and Lahore Qalandars picking Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera.
In the Gold category, Peshawar Zalmi opted for Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana, while Islamabad United added Australian left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis, further strengthening their bowling resources.
The Silver round witnessed Lahore Qalandars adding Bangladesh’s rising leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. A historic first was recorded as Andries Gous from the USA was picked by Islamabad United, making him the first American player in the league’s history. Multan Sultans enhanced their bowling attack by securing Irish pacer Josh Little and West Indies’ Gudakesh Motie.
Supplementary Picks: Adding the Final Pieces
In the first supplementary round, Karachi Kings made a major signing by picking Kane Williamson, who joins fellow New Zealanders Adam Milne and David Warner. Other key picks included Johnson Charles (Sultans), Tom Curran (Qalandars), Kusal Mendis (Gladiators), and Alzarri Joseph (Zalmi).
The second supplementary round saw Qalandars exercise their RTM option to snatch Sam Billings from Islamabad, while United compensated by bringing in South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen.
Quetta Gladiators bolstered their lineup with Australia’s Sean Abbott, while Multan Sultans added Shai Hope. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was drafted by Karachi Kings.
Veteran Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik was picked by Quetta Gladiators in the third supplementary round, marking his participation in all ten seasons of the league.
Emerging Talent: Future Stars Take Center Stage
Among the emerging category selections, Quetta Gladiators secured young batting sensation Hasan Nawaz, while Peshawar Zalmi picked Maaz Sadaqat. Islamabad United added right-arm leg-spinner Saad Masood, who gained attention during the Champions T20 Cup in Rawalpindi.
The final picks saw Hunain Shah returning to Islamabad United, while Multan Sultans welcomed Ubaid Shah.
Final Squads for PSL 2025
Islamabad United
Platinum: Matthew Short, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan
Diamond: Jason Holder, Imad Wasim (mentor), Azam Khan
Gold: Ben Dwarshuis, Salman Irshad, Salman Ali Agha (Brand Ambassador), Haider Ali
Silver: Andries Gous, Colin Munro, Mohammad Nawaz, Rumman Raees
Emerging: Hunain Shah, Saad Masood
Supplementary: Riley Meredith, Rassie van der Dussen
Multan Sultans
Platinum: Michael Bracewell, Mohammad Rizwan, Usama Mir
Diamond: David Willey (mentor), Iftikhar Ahmed (Brand Ambassador), Usman Khan
Gold: Chris Jordan, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain
Silver: Akif Javed, Gudakesh Motie, Josh Little, Faisal Akram, Tayyab Tahir
Emerging: Ubaid Shah, Shahid Aziz
Supplementary: Johnson Charles, Muhammad Amir Barki, Shai Hope, Yasir Khan
Peshawar Zalmi
Platinum: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Diamond: Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris
Gold: Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana
Silver: Arif Yaqoob, Najeebullah Zadran, Max Bryant, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufyan Moqim (Brand Ambassador)
Emerging: Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat
Supplementary: Ahmed Daniyal, Alzarri Joseph
Quetta Gladiators
Platinum: Faheem Ashraf, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman
Diamond: Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir (mentor), Rilee Rossouw
Gold: Akeal Hosein, Saud Shakeel (Brand Ambassador), Mohammad Wasim Jnr
Silver: Haseebullah Khan, Khawaja Muhammad Nafay, Kyle Jamieson, Khurram Shahzad, Usman Tariq
Emerging: Mohammad Zeeshan, Hasan Nawaz
Supplementary: Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis, Sean Abbott, Shoaib Malik
Karachi Kings
Platinum: Adam Milne, David Warner, Mohammad Abbas Afridi
Diamond: Hasan Ali, James Vince, Khushdil Shah
Gold: Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shan Masood
Silver: Arafat Minhas (Brand Ambassador), Litton Das, Mir Hamza, Tim Seifert, Zahid Mehmood
Emerging: Fawad Ali, Riazullah
Supplementary: Kane Williamson, Mohammad Nabi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Mirza Mamoon
Lahore Qalandars
Platinum: Daryl Mitchell, Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Diamond: Haris Rauf (Brand Ambassador), Kusal Perera, Sikandar Raza
Gold: Abdullah Shafique, Jahandad Khan, Zaman Khan
Silver: Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, David Wiese, Muhammad Akhlaq, Rishad Hossain
Emerging: Mohammad Azab, Momin Qamar
Supplementary: Mohammad Naeem, Sam Billings, Salman Ali Mirza, Tom Curran
A Season of Excitement Awaits
With the squads finalized, the league is set for an exhilarating 2025 season. From power-hitting to lethal pace attacks, this year’s tournament promises thrilling action and fierce competition, as teams battle for the coveted trophy.
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