PSL 2020: 144 players from 14 countries register in Gold category

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday released the preliminary list of the Gold Category of overseas players for the fifth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) besides that featuring 325 local players who have been placed under Gold, Silver and Emerging categories. These players include those from the domestic first and second XI squads and also U19 ones. PSL 5, which will kick off in February and go till March, will be played in Pakistan entirely, making a history.

As part of the upcoming edition’s policy, players who have already represented Pakistan internationally have been assigned a base category of Gold. The cut-off date for these records was the same that was applicable to category renewals of local players that happened in October. The list was checked and approved by Nadeem Khan, coordinator of the national selection committee and Imran Ahmed Khan, the league’s head of player acquisition and management, it was said in a press release.

To be selected under the Emerging cricketers’ category, a player has to be Under-23 as on January 1, 2020. The tournament’s rules also require the teams to have at least two Emerging cricketers in a squad of 16 players. Each of the participating teams can nominate up to six emerging players and up to two talent discoveries that may be added to their list.

Gold Category has 48 players from England

The Gold category featured as many as 48 players from England, 40 from the West Indies, 19 from Sri Lanka, 10 from Bangladesh, six from Afghanistan, four each from Trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand, three each from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ireland and one each from Scotland, the Netherlands, Canada and even the United States. Besides, 27 players from Pakistan also featured in the same list.

The PCB will announce updated lists across all the categories by or before November 21.

Each of the six playing sides in the PSL can pick three foreign players in their first nine picks and the 16-men squad must feature five foreign and 11 local players. Eighteen-men squads can include six foreign and 12 local players or five foreign and 13 local players.

The PSL player’s draft 2019 will take place in the first week of early next month, although the details were yet to be confirmed.

Local players in the Gold category are:

Abid Ali, Adnan Akmal, Asad Ali, Asad Shafiq, Awais Zia, Azhar Ali, Bilal Asif, Bilawal Bhatti, Ehsan Adil, Fawad Alam, Imran Farhat, Imran Khan Jr, Imran Khan Sr, Imran Nazir, Khurram Manzoor, Mansoor Amjad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Talha, Mukhtar Ahmed, Nauman Anwar, Raza Hasan, Saad Naseem, Sami Aslam, Sharjeel Khan (subject to completion of his rehabilitation), Umar Gul, Usman Salahuddin and Zulfiqar Babar.

List of international players who have registered in Gold Category to date:

Afghanistan (6) – Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Waqar Salamkheil and Zahir Khan

Australia (4) – Ben Dunk, Jonathan Wells, Josh Lalor and Nathan Rimmington

Bangladesh (10) – Abul Hasan Raju, Afif Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Alok Kapali, Aminul Islam, Liton Das, Mehdy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Mithun, Mosaddek Hossain and Taskin Ahmed

Canada (1) – Nikhil Dutta

England (48) – Adam Lyth, Alex Davies, Arron Lilley, Ben Duckett, Benny Howell, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wood, Colin Ackermann, Craig Meschede, D Bell-Drummond, Dan Lawrence, Danny Briggs, David Payne, Dom Sibley, George Garton, Hamidullah Qadri, Hassan Azad, Jack Taylor, Jade Dernbach, James Fuller, Jamie Overton, Joe Clarke, John Simpson, Jordan Clark, Josh Cobb, Josh Davey, Josh Poysden, Luis Reece, Max Holden, Nathan Sowter Ollie Robinson, Paul Coughlin, Peter Trego, Reece Topley, Richard Gleeson, Riki Wessels, Rikki Clarke, Ross Whiteley, Ryan Higgins, Sam Hain, Samit Patel, Saqib Mahmood, Stephen Mullaney, Steven Croft, Tom Abell, Wayne Madsen, Will Jacks and Zak Chappell

Ireland (3) – George Dockrell, Kevin O’Brien and Paul Stirling

Netherlands (1) – Tobias Vissee

New Zealand (4) – Anton Devcich, George Worker, Jeetan Patel and Seth Rance

Scotland (1) – George Munsey

South Africa (3) – Dwaine Pretorious, Vernon Philander and Wayne Parnell

Sri Lanka (19) – Angelo Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chaturanga de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeevan Mendis, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara, Minod Banuka, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Seekugge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Upul Tharanga and Wanindu Hasaranga

USA (1) – Ali Khan

West Indies (40) – Andre Fletcher, Ashley Nurse, Bhaskar Yadram, Chadwick Walton, Christopher Barnwell, Danza Hyatt, Devendra Bishoo, Dominic Drakes, Dwayne Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr, Jahmar Hamilton, Jeavon Searles, Jeremiah Louis, Jerome Taylor, John Campbell, Jonathan Carter, Joshua Bishop, Kennar Lewis, Keron Cottoy, Khary Pierre, Kieran Powell, Kjorn Yohance, Krishmar Santokie, Kyle Mayers, Leniko Boucher, Mark Deyal, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul, Ray Reifer, Rayad Emrit, Roland Cato, Romario Shepherd, Ronsford Beaton, Rovman Powell, Shamar Springer, Shane Dowrich, Sheldon Cottrell, Shermon Lewis, Trevon Griffith and Veerasammy Permaul

Zimbabwe (3) – Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis and Sikandar Raza