The massively anticipated Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 is just around the corner, and hence the preparations and arrangements of the tournament are taking shape rapidly. The draft for the 2021 edition will be held tomorrow (January 10) and will feature a host of international T20 stars.
The PSL 6 is scheduled for a 30-day window from February 20 to March 22. The games are set to be held in Karachi and Lahore. While Karachi is set to host the first half of the competition, Lahore will be the venue for the playoffs, including the final.
The 2020 PSL was partly held in February last year, with the remainder of the tournament being forced to be suspended due to Covid-19. The remaining matches were held in November, with Karachi Kings emerging as champions. Here’s all you need to know about the PSL draft.
What is Player Draft System?
A draft is a process used in sports to allocate certain players to teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players. When a team selects a player, the team receives exclusive rights to sign that player to a contract, and no other team in the league may sign the player.
The Pakistan Super League uses a draft system for player recruitment before the start of every season to fairly distribute the league’s new players. Teams are allotted slots in every round of the draft and slots can be exchanged with other teams.
First round pick order
According to the first-round pick order of PSL 2021, the two times title holders Islamabad United had the first pick this season. The Multan Sultan’s and runner ups of season 5 Lahore Qalandars held second and third picks respectively, followed with Peshawar Zalmi on 4th rank. The fifth pick went to Quetta gladiators whereas the reigning champions Karachi Kings were placed last.
The pick order for round one of the PSL 6 2021 Player Draft was decided after a random draw in the presence of representatives of all six franchises at the PCB headquarters in Lahore. The next 17 rounds were decided through a special statistical tool.
International players
Over 400 international cricketers have expressed interest in the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League and registered themselves for the players’ draft. However, several of them are only available for part of the league due to other international commitments.
Over 90 players from the West-Indies, 80 from England, 40 cricketers from Sri Lanka, around 30 from South Africa, 30 from Afghanistan, 20 from Bangladesh, 14 from Australia and eight from New Zealand have also registered themselves for the PSL players’ draft.
Who has registered for the PSL-6 draft?
PCB has announced 25 foreign players for the Platinum category, including Chris Gayle, Rashid Khan, Dawid Malan, and Dale Steyn The West Indian representation on the Platinum list includes Dwayne Bravo along with Carlos Brathwaite, Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis.
The list also includes South Africa’s Morne Morkel and Rassie van der Dussen who are both yet to feature in the HBL PSL. The South African representation in the list also includes Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram, Rilee Rossouw and Dale Steyn (United). Afghanistan’s Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and Mohammad Nabi, Sri Lankan duo Thisara Perera and Isuru Udana as well as Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman and Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichanne are also on the list.
Predictions for Diamond and Gold categories
According to sources, the Diamond category list includes players like James Faulkner, Dan Christian, Ben Cutting, Fawad Ahmed, Tim Bresnen, Joe Denly, Liam Plunkett, Chris Green, Andile Phelukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Luke Wright, Dinesh Ramdin, Andre Fletcher and Brendon Taylor.
Gulbadin Naib, Laurie Evans, Saqib Mehmood, Liam Livingstone, Kevin O Brain, Kyle Abbott, Cameron Delport, Samit Patel, Ravi Bopara, Upul Tharanga, Devendra Bishoo, Ashley Nurse, and Sikandar Raza Butt are the players named in the Gold category, the sources added.
