Peshawar Zalmi has confirmed that Afghanistan’s pacer Naveen-ul-Haq will be partially replaced for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.
Naveen-ul-Haq will be on national duty, making him unavailable for Zalmi. As a partial replacement, emerging pacer Aimal Khan has been chosen.
Last week, Zalmi secured their pick for Naveen in the Replacement Draft. They also welcomed young pace sensation Shamar Joseph to their squad as a partial replacement for England’s Gus Atkinson.
In further announcements, Peshawar Zalmi drafted Waqar Salamkheil in the silver category as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi, who won’t be available for the entire season. Similarly, Khurram Shahzad, who will only be partially available, will be replaced by pacer Arshad Iqbal in the silver category. Gus Atkinson has been named as a replacement for Noor Ahmad, who is unavailable due to international commitments.
The PSL is scheduled to kick off on February 17, 2024, at the PCB’s headquarters in Lahore. The opening match will see Lahore Qalandars, the two-time champions, taking on Islamabad United, winners of the 2016 and 2018 editions.
This season’s matches will be played across Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi, with the final set to take place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on March 18. The tournament will feature six teams competing in 34 T20 matches.
Peshawar Zalmi’s squad for PSL 9 includes notable players such as Babar Azam, Rovman Powell, and Saim Ayub. Despite Naveen-ul-Haq’s partial unavailability, the team is gearing up with a strong lineup, including promising talents like Aimal Khan and Shamar Joseph.