254 international players sign up for PSL 9 draft

PSL Champions. (Photo Source: Twitter)

The roster for the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) draft was unveiled, revealing an impressive lineup of 254 international cricketers eager to participate. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) witnessed a surge in interest from overseas players keen on joining the tournament. Notably, some prominent Australian players were missing from the list, although a diverse array of cricketers from various countries were included.

Among the registered players, 20 were categorised as platinum, with a notable presence of English cricketers. The official draft for PSL 9 is set to take place on December 13 in Lahore. Before the commencement of PSL 2024, five teams have chosen to keep hold of eight players each. Peshawar Zalmi stands out as the sole franchise retaining a total of seven players.

Several renowned players like Alex Hales, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, David Wiese, Sikandar Raza, Colin Munro, James Vince, Rassie Van der Dussen, and Hazratullah Zazai have already committed to participating in the PSL 9 draft.

PSL’s draft system is unlike IPL’s

The PSL 9 draft is scheduled to be held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, and the tournament’s tentative timeline is from February 8 to March 24, 2024. The pick order for the Player Draft has been determined based on the previous season’s standings, with the Quetta Gladiators securing the first pick in the draft. Unlike the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, the PSL draft system is structured to include five categories: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Emerging.

Each team is required to include a minimum of four Pakistan and four foreign players, with squad sizes ranging from 16 to 20 players. Overall, the PSL 9 draft promises to be a thrilling and diverse array of talent as teams will prepare to assemble their squads, adhering to the unique drafting system of the tournament.