The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially confirmed the local player category renewals for the highly anticipated 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), scheduled to kick off in 2025. With players being shuffled across Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Emerging categories, this year’s classifications hint at a dynamic and competitive tournament ahead.
- Platinum Category Dominance:
A majority of the Platinum players are core contributors to Pakistan’s national side. This year’s promotions reward consistency and recent performances in international cricket and domestic leagues. - Youth Representation in Emerging Category:
The Emerging category sees significant investment in young talent, particularly from Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi. Players like Hunain Shah, Aimal Khan, and Saad Baig are likely to play pivotal roles in PSL’s future. - Team-Wise Balance:
- Multan Sultans and Islamabad United maintain strong, balanced squads with reliable all-rounders and bowlers.
- Lahore Qalandars continue to leverage their pace-bowling dominance.
- Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings lean heavily on experienced veterans, which may impact their long-term squad depth.
- Emerging vs Experienced Players:
Teams are increasingly splitting their squads between seasoned players and emerging talents. This shift allows franchises to develop young cricketers while retaining competitiveness.
Four standout cricketers have earned promotions from the Diamond to Platinum category:
- Hasan Ali (Karachi Kings)
- Mohammad Amir (Quetta Gladiators)
- Saim Ayub (Peshawar Zalmi)
- Usama Mir (Multan Sultans)
These players have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to both domestic and international cricket. This move reflects their rising stature and impact in the PSL franchise ecosystem.
Key stalwarts such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Fakhar Zaman retain their Platinum status, reaffirming their dominance in Pakistan’s cricketing landscape.
Breakdown of Player Categories by Team
Each of the six PSL franchises has strategically retained and promoted players across various categories. Here is a detailed analysis:
1. Islamabad United
- Platinum: Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan
- Diamond: Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha
- Gold: Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Qasim Akram, Rumman Raees
- Silver: Shahab Khan
- Emerging: Hunain Shah, Shamyl Hussain, Ubaid Shah
Islamabad United’s Platinum core features match-winners like Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah, who provide both leadership and firepower. The inclusion of emerging bowlers like Hunain Shah signals their investment in nurturing young talent.
2. Karachi Kings
- Platinum: Hasan Ali
- Diamond: Mohammad Nawaz, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik
- Gold: Arafat Minhas, Anwar Ali Khan, Mir Hamza, Zahid Mahmood, Irfan Khan Niazi
- Silver: Mohammad Amir Khan, Muhammad Akhlaq
- Emerging: Saad Baig, Sirajuddin
Hasan Ali’s promotion to Platinum underpins Karachi Kings’ reliance on experienced bowlers. However, with emerging talents like Saad Baig, their focus on a balanced squad is evident.
3. Lahore Qalandars
- Platinum: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Diamond: Abdullah Shafique
- Gold: Sahibzada Farhan, Zaman Khan, Mirza Tahir Baig, Kamran Ghulam, Jahandad Khan
- Silver: Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti, Muhammad Imran Jnr, Salman Fayyaz, Syed Faridoun Mahmood
- Emerging: Tayyab Abbas
Analysis: Lahore Qalandars continue to be spearheaded by powerhouses like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman. Their consistent success in PSL stems from nurturing pacers such as Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan.
4. Multan Sultans
- Platinum: Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Usama Mir
- Diamond: Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Usman Khan
- Gold: Ihsanullah, Tayyab Tahir, Shahnawaz Dahani, Faisal Akram
- Silver: Ali Majid, Yasir Khan
- Emerging: Aftab Ibrahim, Muhammad Shahzad
Analysis: Multan Sultans boast one of the most balanced squads, blending established veterans like Rizwan and emerging talents such as Ihsanullah. Their strength in both batting and bowling makes them a top contender.
5. Peshawar Zalmi
- Platinum: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub
- Diamond: Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Haris
- Gold: Arshad Iqbal, Asif Ali, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Khurram Shahzad, Salman Irshad, Sufyan Moqim
- Silver: Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Umair Afridi
- Emerging: Aimal Khan, Ali Raza, Mohammad Zeeshan
Analysis: The dynamic duo of Babar Azam and Saim Ayub provides explosive strength at the top order. Zalmi’s young players like Aimal Khan also showcase promising potential.
6. Quetta Gladiators
- Platinum: Mohammad Amir
- Diamond: Abrar Ahmed, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Hasnain
- Gold: Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Usman Qadir, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sohail Khan, Umar Amin
- Silver: Sajjad Ali Jnr, Usman Tariq, Bismillah Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay
- Emerging: Adil Naz
Mohammad Amir’s inclusion in Platinum signals Quetta’s renewed focus on experience. Emerging players like Adil Naz and Saud Shakeel highlight a balance of youth and experience.
