PSL 2023: Karachi Kings Trade Babar Azam To Peshawar Zalmi For Haider Ali And Shoaib Malik In Return

Ahead of the upcoming player’s draft for the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2023) season next year, Karachi Kings have made a huge change as they traded their captain Babar Azam to Peshawar Zalmi on Saturday, November 11, 2022.

Babar is the tournament’s most successful batter with 2,413 runs in 68 matches. The opener initially played for Islamabad United before moving to Kings and also was named the captain of the franchise in November last year.

At the moment, Babar is the only player in the Platinum category for Zalmi, who also got the first pick in the supplementary round of the draft in exchange. In return for Babar Azam, the Karachi Kings got Haider Ali (Platinum category) and Shoaib Malik (Diamond category) in return ahead of the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League.

Similarly, Haider is Kings’ only player in the Platinum category currently, while Malik joins Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir in the Diamond.

“In one of the biggest trades of the tournament, 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi snapped Babar in the Platinum category and the first pick in the supplementary round for Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik who move to Karachi Kings, the winners of the 2020 edition, in Platinum and Diamond categories, respectively, before the trade and retention window closed on Friday evening,” PCB said in a media release.

“Babar Azam, who was at Islamabad United before moving to Karachi Kings, is the only player in Platinum category for Peshawar Zalmi. Wahab Riaz and Sherfane Rutherford are in Diamond, while Mohammad Haris, who has lightened up the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with his fearless batting, is in Gold. Peshawar Zalmi are the only side to retain seven players.

Haider is Karachi’s only player in the platinum category, while Shoaib joins Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir in the Diamond. They have retained Sharjeel Khan, Mir Hamza and Aamir Yamin in the Silver category and Qasim Akram in the Emerging,” the release further added.

Peshawar Zalmi Are The Only Side To Retain Seven Players

Defending champions, Lahore Qalandars, have retained their skipper Shaheen Afridi and Rashid Khan in the Platinum category. Multan Sultans have retained Khushdil Shah and Rilee Rossouw in the Diamond category while Tim David and Dahani find themselves in the Gold category. Mohammad Rizwan, their skipper is their only retention in the Platinum category.

2-time PSL winners Islamabad United retained captain Shadab Khan and Mohammad Wasim Jnr. Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali from gold. Quetta Gladiators have retained Mohammad Nawaz in the Platinum category, with Jason Roy and Iftikhar Ahmed being retained in the Diamond category.

Complete list of retained players:

Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (Platinum). Asif Ali (Brand Ambassador) and Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Diamond). Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali (Gold). Colin Munro and Paul Stirling (Silver).

Karachi Kings:Haider Ali (Platinum). Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik (Diamond). Aamir Yamin, Mir Hamza and Sharjeel Khan (Silver). Qasim Akram (Emerging)

Lahore Qalandars: Rashid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum). David Wiese (Diamond). Abdullah Shafique (Gold). Harry Brook and Kamran Ghulam (Silver). Zaman Khan (Emerging). Eighth retention to be announced in due course.

Multan Sultans:Mohammad Rizwan (Platinum). Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw and Shan Masood (Diamond). Shahnawaz Dahani (Brand Ambassador) and Tim David (Gold). Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah (Emerging).

Peshawar Zalmi:Babar Azam (Platinum). Sherfane Rutherford and Wahab Riaz (Diamond). Mohammad Haris (Gold). Aamir Jamal (Brand Ambassador), Salman Irshad and Tom-Kohler Cadmore (Silver).

Quetta Gladiators:Mohammad Nawaz (Platinum). Iftikhar Ahmed and Jason Roy (Diamond). Mohammad Hasnain and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Gold). Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal (Mentor) and Will Smeed (Silver)

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