Teams finalized after Player draft for PSL 4

Lahore Qalandars picked former South Africa captain AB de Villiers and veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez in the player draft for the fourth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL), being held in the capital.

The Sixth Team, formerly known as Multan Sultans, roped in Shahid Afridi, who previously represented Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi, and Australian batsman Steve Smith.

Former captain of two-time champions Islamabad United, Misbah ul Haq, was picked by Peshawar Zalmi.

A total of 663 foreign and local players are available to be picked in the draft, by the six franchises: Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars and the ‘Sixth Team’.

The ownership rights of Multan Sultans were terminated by the Pakistan Cricket Board after the franchise failed to pay its annual fee of US $5.2 million. The team is hence referred to as the ‘Sixth Team’ pending further update.

The teams had until November 13 to decide their retentions prior to today’s draft.

Title holders Islamabad United retained 10 players, so they can pick six more from the draft. Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi and the ‘Sixth Team’ retained eight players each and can pick another eight in the draft. Quetta Gladiators will pick seven more to add to their nine retained players.

All six teams have an optional round to pick another four players from the Supplement category.

Islamabad United, the champions of PSL 2018, will pick last. Lahore Qalandars, who finished bottom of the table in the 2018 season, have the first pick in each round. In between are the ‘Sixth Team’, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi, in that order.