PSL 6: Gayle Joins Quetta, Lynn Joins Multan

With the announcement of PSL 6 dates and venues, the teams have been finalized and players have been distributed. The amazing West Indies opener, Chris Gayle, signed up with the former winners Quetta Gladiators while Chris Lynn switched from Lahore Qalandars to Multan Sultans.

The HBL PSL 6 will be played in Karachi and Lahore from February 20 to March 22.

Moreover, Hasan Ali, who was an integral player for Central Punjab in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, will be joining the Islamabad United team in PSL 6, switching from Peshawar Zalmi after serving them for the past 5 seasons.

Among other high-profile additions during the player draft held at the High-Performance Centre, the world’s top-ranked T20 bowler, Rashid Khan, of Afghanistan was roped in by Lahore Qalandars and the South African batsman, David Miller, is going to make his PSL debut with Peshawar Zalmis.

Moreover, defending champions Karachi Kings have let Mohammad Rizwan go after the Pakistan wicket-keeper’s limited appearances during the past seasons. Rizwan, who was chosen to replace Babar Azam as Test captain due to his injuring during Pakistan’s 2-0 defeat in New Zealand, will now be playing for Multan Sultans when PSL 6 begins in Karachi and then moving on to Lahore.

The ex-spinner, Saeed Ajmal, who is now Islamabad’s assistant coach plans on improving the team this season in PSL 6.“The [player] draft has gone exactly the way we had hoped for. We picked Hasan, who is in excellent form and will strengthen our bowling. We then opted for two wicketkeeper/batsmen in Phil Salt and Rohail Nazir.”

Wasim Akram, who is Karachi’s cricket director has also claimed that defeating Karachi Kings in PSL 6 will be a tough task.  “We picked almost all the players we wanted to. The thought was to have a balanced side and try to cover all bases with players who are good finishers,” he observed.

Aaqib Javed, the ex-Pakistan paceman who is Lahore’s head coach was delighted with the signing of Rashid Khan and retention of Samit Patel for PSL 6: “Obviously, I’m extremely happy to have a match-winner in Rashid, but Samit Patel’s pick is something that gives me the most satisfaction.”

Furthermore, Moin Khan, Quetta’s head coach welcomed Chris Gayle and Tom Bathon into Quetta Gladiators for PSL 6. “We warmly welcome both Tom and Chris to the Gladiator’s side. We were particularly keen to have Gayle following the retirement of Shane Watson as we wanted someone who is highly experienced and a match-winner in our ranks,” Moin commented.

Peshawar Zalmi’s cricket director and ex-Pakistan paceman Mohammad Akram expressed great satisfaction with the arrival of David Miller in PSL 6. “Our aim was to strengthen our middle-order and I am pleased that we were able to lock David Miller and Sherfane Rutherford,” Akram noted.

The Finalized Teams for PSL 6

QUETTA GLADIATORS PSL 6 Team — Abdul Nasir (silver); Anwar Ali (silver, successful relegation request); Arish Ali Khan (emerging); Azam Khan (gold); Ben Cutting (diamond); Cameron Delport (silver); Chris Gayle (platinum); Dale Steyn (supplementary); Mohammad Hasnain (diamond); Mohammad Nawaz (diamond); Naseem Shah (gold); Qais Ahmed (silver); Saim Ayub (emerging) Sarfaraz Ahmed; Tom Banton (both platinum); Usman Khan (supplementary); Usman Khan Shinwari (gold) and Zahid Mahmood (silver, brand ambassador).

MULTAN SULTANS PSL 6 Team — Adam Lyth (silver); Carlos Brathwaite (supplementary); Chris Lynn; Shahid Afridi (both platinum); Imran Tahir (diamond, mentor); Imran Khan (supplementary); James Vince (gold); Khushdil Shah (diamond); Mohammad Rizwan (silver); Mohammad Umar (emerging); Rilee Rossouw (platinum); Shahnawaz Dhani (emerging), Shan Masood (gold, successful relegation request); Sohaib Maqsood, Sohaibullah; Sohail Khan (all silver); Sohail Tanvir (Diamond, brand ambassador); Usman Qadir (gold).

PESHAWAR ZALMI PSL 6 Team — Abrar Ahmed (emerging); Amad Butt (gold); David Miller (platinum); Haider Ali (gold); Imam-ul-Haq (silver); Kamran Akmal (diamond, successful relegation request); Liam Livingstone (gold); Mohammad Amir Khan (supplementary); Mohammad Irfan Sr; Mohammad Imran; Mohammad Imran Randhawa (all silver); Mujeeb Ur Rehman (diamond); Ravi Bopara (supplementary); Saqib Mahmood (silver); Sherfane Rutherford (diamond); Shoaib Malik (platinum); Umaid Asif (silver); Wahab Riaz (platinum).

LAHORE QALANDARS PSL 6 Team – Ahmed Daniyal (supplementary); Ben Dunk (gold); David Wiese (diamond); Dilbar Hussain (gold); Fakhar Zaman (diamond, brand ambassador); Haris Rauf (diamond); Maaz Khan (emerging); Mohammad Faizan (silver); Mohammad Hafeez (platinum); Joe Denly (supplementary); Rashid Khan (platinum); Samit Patel (gold); Shaheen Shah Afridi (platinum); Sohail Akhtar (silver, successful relegation request); Tom Abell, Agha Salman (both silver); Zaid Alam (emerging); Zeeshan Ashraf (silver).

ISLAMABAD UNITED PSL 6 Team – Ahmed Safi Abdullah (emerging); Alex Hales (Platinum; traded from Karachi Kings); Akif Javed (supplementary); Asif Ali (gold); Chris Jordon (supplementary); Colin Munro (diamond); Faheem Ashraf (diamond); Iftikhar Ahmed (silver); Hasan Ali (platinum), Hussain Talat (gold, brand ambassador); Lewis Gregory (diamond); Mohammad Wasim Jr (emerging); Musa Khan (silver, successful relegation request); Phil Salt (gold); Rohail Nazir, Reece Topley (both silver); Shadab Khan (platinum); Zafar Gohar (silver, successful relegation request).

KARACHI KINGS PSL 6 Team — Aamir Yamin (gold); Arshad Iqbal (emerging); Babar Azam (platinum); Colin Ingram (platinum, traded from Islamabad United); Chadwick Walton (gold); Dan Christian (diamond); Danish Aziz (silver); Imad Wasim (diamond, successful relation request); Joe Clarke (silver); Mohammad Amir (platinum); Mohammad Nabi (diamond); Mohammad Ilyas (silver); Noor Ahmed (supplementary); Sharjeel Khan (gold), Qasim Akram (emerging); Waqas Maqsood (silver, brand ambassador); Zeeshan Malik (silver).

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