The draft for the 2020 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is done and dusted after a star-studded affair in Lahore on Friday. It was a battle between the franchise to grab the services of the who’s who of International cricket. The draft began with the speeches of the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ehsan Mani and it’s Chief Operating officer Wasim Khan.

With the likes of South African fast bowling legend Dale Steyn, England’s whirlwind opener Jason Roy, Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting, Somerset’s swashbuckling batsman Tom Banton, James Vince and South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, it was always going to be a battle for the franchise owners to get the best names on their side. And, it proved that way.

Who all did the franchises opt for in the PSL draft?

Quetta Gladiators

The defending champions opted for England’s tearaway opener Jason Roy, Mohammad Nawaz and former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed in the Platinum category while Shane Watson, who will also play the role of a mentor, opener Ahmed Shehzad and Aussie all-rounder Ben Cutting was the three choices in the diamond category. 

As far as Gold category is concerned, discarded International  Umar Akmal was picked as an ambassador along with fast bowling prodigy in Mohammad Hasnain, and spinner Fawad Ahmed. Ahsan Ali, 16-year-old Naseem Shah, fast bowler Sohail Khan, T20 specialist Tymal Mills and Abdul Nasir were the four choices while Arish Ali Khan and Azam Khan were picked up from the emerging players’ category. West Indian fast bowler Keemo Paul and Khurram Manzoor were picked in the supplementary category.

Platinum: Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Jason Roy

Diamond: Shane Watson (mentor), Ahmed Shehzad, Ben Cutting

Gold: Umar Akmal (ambassador), Mohammad Hasnain, Fawad Ahmed

Silver: Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir

Emerging: Arish Ali Khan, Azam Khan

Supplementary: Keemo Paul, Khurram Manzoor

Lahore Qalandars

Opener Fakhar Zaman, all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez and swashbuckling Australian opener Chris Lynn were the first three choices for the Qalandars in the Platinum category, as were Shaheen Shah Afridi (brand ambassador), all-rounder David Wiese and fast bowler Usman Shinwari in a diamond.

As far as the Gold category was concerned, Haris Rauf, Sohail Akhtar, and Samit Patel were the three picks while discarded former opener Salman Butt, Sri Lankan International Seekkuge Prasanna, Australia’s T20 specialist Ben Dunk, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali were picked in the silver category.

Faizan was picked in the emerging players’ category while the Qalandars secured the services of West Indies opener Lendl Simmons and Dilbar Hussain in the supplementary category.

Platinum: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Chris Lynn

Diamond: Shaheen Shah Afridi (brand ambassador), David Wiese, Usman Shinwari

Gold: Haris Rauf, Sohail Akhtar, Samit Patel

Silver: Salman Butt, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ben Dunk, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali

Emerging: M Faizan

Supplementary: Lendl Simmons, Dilbar Hussain

Multan Sultans

Mohammad Irfan, England all-rounder Moeen Ali and former South African International Rilee Rossouw were picked in the Platinum category while Shahid Afridi (mentor), Zeeshan Ashraf, Ravi Bopara are racked up in Diamond. James Vince (brand ambassador) spearheaded the gold category alongside the left-arm fast bowling duo of  Junaid Khan and Sohail Tanvir.

The silver category saw the names of Ali Shafiq, Test opener Shan Masood, all-rounder Khushdil Shah, spinner Usman Qadir, and West Indies spinner Fabian Allen while in the emerging category, Mohammad Ilyas, Pakistan U19 captain Rohail Nazir were picked. As far as Supplementary was concerned leg-spinner Imran Tahir and Bilawal Bhatti were picked.

Platinum: Mohammad Irfan, Moeen Ali, Rilee Rossouw

Diamond: Shahid Afridi (mentor), Zeeshan Ashraf, Ravi Bopara

Gold: James Vince (brand ambassador), Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanvir

Silver: Ali Shafiq, Shan Masood, Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir, Fabian Allen

Emerging: Mohammad Ilyas, Rohail Nazir

Supplementary: Imran Tahir, Bilawal Bhatti

Islamabad United

Shadab Khan, Dale Steyn, Colin Ingram ruled the Platinum category while all-rounder Faheem Ashraf (brand ambassador), Asif Ali and Kiwi opener Colin Munro were named in the diamond category. Luke Ronchi (mentor), Hussain Talat, Rumman Raees dominated proceedings as far as Gold was concerned while Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar, Phil Salt were all named in the silver category.

Aqif Javed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah will be the two emerging players while Saif Badar and South African International Rassie van der Dussen picked in the supplementary category.

Platinum: Shadab Khan, Dale Steyn, Colin Ingram,

Diamond: Faheem Ashraf (brand ambassador), Asif Ali, Colin Munro

Gold: Luke Ronchi (mentor), Hussain Talat, Rumman Raees

Silver: Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar, Phil Salt

Emerging: Aqif Javed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah

Supplementary: Saif Badar, Rassie van der Dussen

Peshawar Zalmi

The all-round duo of Hasan Ali and Kieron Pollard alongside fast bowler Wahab Riaz were named in the Platinum category while the diamond boasts of T20 specialists like Kamran Akmal (brand ambassador), Tom Banton and all-rounder Shoaib Malik.

Former PSL winning captain Darren Sammy (mentor), opener Imam-ul-Haq and spinner Liam Dawson were bought in the Gold category as compared to Umar Amin, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Dwaine Pretorius, Adil Amin, who were bought in sliver. Amir Khan and Amir Ali were named as the emerging players while  Liam Livingstone and Haider Ali Khan were named in the supplementary zone.

Platinum: Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard, Wahab Riaz

Diamond: Kamran Akmal (brand ambassador), Tom Banton, Shoaib Malik

Gold: Darren Sammy (mentor), Imam-ul-Haq, Liam Dawson

Silver: Umar Amin, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Dwaine Pretorius, Adil Amin

Emerging: Amir Khan, Amir Ali

Supplementary: Liam Livingstone, Haider Ali Khan

Karachi Kings

The Kings secured the services of Pakistan’s current T20I captain Babar Azam, fast bowler Mohammad Amir and whirlwind opener Alex Hales in Platinum while Imad Wasim (brand ambassador), Iftikhar Ahmed and T20 death over specialist Chris Jordan was bought in the diamond slot.

All-rounder Aamir Yamin, opener Sharjeel Khan, and Aussie T20 specialist Cameron Delport were available in the Gold category while the sliver category boasts of names like Usama Mir, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Dan Lawrance, and Ali Khan. Umer Khan and Arshad Iqbal were picked as emerging players while Liam Plunkett, Awais Zia were bought in the supplementary category.

Platinum: Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, Alex Hales

Diamond: Imad Wasim (brand ambassador), Iftikhar Ahmed, Chris Jordan

Gold: Aamir Yamin, Sharjeel Khan, Cameron Delport

Silver: Usama Mir, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Dan Lawrance, Ali Khan

Emerging: Umer Khan, Arshad Iqbal

Supplementary: Liam Plunkett, Awais Zia