Karachi Kings have chosen to retain just five players before the draft of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.
Kharchi Kings retained a player for PSL 9
- James Vince
- Hasan Ali (traded from Islamabad United)
- Shoaib Malik
- Mir Hamza
- Tabraiz Shamsi
These are the only players retained by the Karachi Kings.
The team, which claimed the PSL 2020 title, won’t hold on to Mohammad Amir, who has been with the Kings since the league’s beginning.
There’s also talk about batter Tayyab Tahir possibly moving to another team, suggesting ongoing discussions about a potential trade deal.
Recently, the Kings traded their former captain Imad Wasim to Islamabad United, swapping him for Hasan Ali.
“HBL PSL 5 winning captain Imad Wasim will join Islamabad United for the ninth edition. Imad, named the All-Rounder of HBL PSL 8, has been signed by Islamabad United in the Platinum category,” stated the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a brief press release.
“Hasan Ali (Diamond category) heads to Karachi Kings. As part of this trade, Karachi Kings receive Islamabad United’s first-round silver pick in exchange for their second-round silver pick” the statement added.
Meanwhile, a record 254 foreign players have signed up for PSL season nine, as reported by The News.
The PCB is preparing for the ninth edition with considerable interest from foreign players.
An official mentioned the player list spans various cricketing nations, notably missing significant Australian names.
Out of the registered players, 20 falls into the platinum category, with a strong presence from England.
The PSL draft is scheduled for December 13, 2023, at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
PSL 9 is provisionally set from February 8 to March 24, 2024.
The renewal process for local player categories was finalized on November 10, upgrading nine players’ statuses.
The registration window for foreign players opened on October 25, attracting top players worldwide.
Currently, the trade and retention window is open.
Earlier reports suggested that UAE and South Africa might host initial PSL 9 matches due to elections in Pakistan.
However, most franchises are pushing for the entire event to be held in Pakistan.
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