PSL 2021 Draft Categories Announced

As we inch closer to the drafts for the sixth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the draft categories of players from the last season have been announced. There is a total of 6 categories in which the players are classified: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Emerging.

The franchise representatives were required to vote for every player. Factors including national team performances, domestic performances, and perceived T20 brand value were considered while finalizing local players’ categories.

Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, who is currently in New Zealand, is unsurprisingly put in the Platinum category alongside Karachi Kings teammates Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir.

Islamabad United skipper, Shadab Khan remains in the Platinum category but his teammate Faheem Ashraf is demoted down to the Diamond category. From Peshawar Zalmi, the trio of Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, and Wahab Riaz are placed in the Platinum category while pacer, Hasan Ali moves to the Diamond category.

Multan Sultans captain Shan Masood is promoted to the Diamond category after his impressive show in the 2020 season. Qalandars seamer, Haris Rauf after his giant strides last season is moved up from Gold to Diamond.

?HBL PSL Draft Categories Renewals?

Taaza tareen! As we inch closer to the #HBLPSLDraft, have a look at the category renewals! pic.twitter.com/DR6UwoKitL

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) December 24, 2020

Lots of young players to get opportunities in PSL 2021: Babar Hamid

Babar Hamid, Director Commercial assures that the process of categorizing the players was fair. He is confident that the new edition of the PSL will reach greater heights than its last 5 seasons. Hamid believes that youngsters will get high-level exposure while playing in the PSL which will help them make leaps towards international cricket.

“I am sure that like the previous five seasons we will see top-quality performances from our local players and a lot of young players will get a wonderful opportunity of showcasing their talents and progressing to the international stage by their exposure to a platform like the HBL PSL,” said Babar Hamid.

With the category renewal process and pick order completed, the transfer and retention window is now officially open. Teams can now send the relegation requests for the players they don’t need anymore and also choose their retentions.

After a relegation request is floated, all other teams are given a chance to meet the player’s base category. If no team matches the player’s base category, the player may be relegated to a category below his base category.

Karachi Kings won the PSL 2020 defeating Lahore Qalandars in the final; Babar Azam was awarded the Man of the Match in the final as well as the Player of the Series.

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