A total of 485 international players from 22 nations have enlisted for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 draft, set to take place on December 13 at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Wednesday.
In the Platinum category, there are 46 players, while 76 players have registered in the Diamond category.
The draft's foreign players list is enhanced by the inclusion of England’s Dawid Malan and South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks, both among the top 10 in the ICC Men’s T20I player rankings for batters.
Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana, Afghanistan pair Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, all ranked in the top 10 T20I bowlers, are available for the draft. Additionally, the world's number 2 T20I all-rounder, Mohammad Nabi, is part of the draft.
The highest number of players registered from a foreign country are from England (158). Following are West Indies (58), Sri Lanka (40), Afghanistan (36), South Africa (30), Bangladesh (21), New Zealand (18), Australia (16), Zimbabwe (11), and Ireland (nine). A significant number of players from associate member countries have also registered.
Some key players in the Platinum category include Daniel Sams, Ashton Agar (both from Australia), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (all from Afghanistan), Ben Duckett, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Dawid Malan, Luke Wood, Reece Topley, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills (all England), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), James Neesham (New Zealand), Rassie van der Dussen, Imran Tahir (both South Africa), Maheesh Theekshana, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (all Sri Lanka), Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Brandon King, and Kyle Mayers (all West Indies).
Notable players in the Diamond category include Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi (both Afghanistan), Ben McDermott (Australia), Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahmudullah (all Bangladesh), Dan Lawrence, Gus Atkinson, Jordan Cox, Liam Dawson, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope, Richard Gleeson, Sam Hain (all England), Tim Seifert, Martin Guptill, Chad Bowes (all New Zealand), George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Reeza Hendricks, Wayne Parnell, Sisanda Magala (all South Africa), Dilshan Madushanka, Charith Asalanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Sadeera Samarawickrama (all Sri Lanka), Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Rahkeem Cornwall, Roston Chase, Shai Hope, Hayden Walsh (all West Indies).
PSL 9 is tentatively scheduled from 8 February to 24 March 2024.
The process of local player category renewals for the upcoming ninth edition of the tournament was completed on November 10 with categories upgraded for nine players.
The registration window for foreign players was opened on October 25. The trade and retention window is currently open.
Earlier, it was reported that two countries are in the running to host some matches of the PSL 9.
According to sources, UAE and South Africa could host the initial matches of PSL due to elections in Pakistan.
However, sources added that the majority of the franchises are insisting that the entire event should take place in Pakistan.