The Pakistan Super League (PSL) Replacement Draft 2019 took place today on 24th January and there are a number of surprises in store for the PSL fans!
The Replacement Draft 2019 was not broadcasted as it was a closed door event. All the franchise representatives were, however, present to strengthen their squads further; replacing players and recruiting more local talent.
The first and perhaps the biggest change was the replacement of injured Steve Smith for Multan Sultans. The team replaced the former Australian captain with West Indian T20 specialist Andre Russell.
Second biggest replacement was also made by Multan Sultans during the draft as they secured the services of James Vincent in exchange for Joe Denly.
For Quetta Gladiators, Dwayne Smith will act as a temporary replacement for DJ Bravo, who will join Sarfraz and co. after 27th February.
Peshawar Zalmi also chased a West Indian batsmen; Andre Fletcher for Afghanistan’s Waqar Salamkheil.
Here are the complete details of the Replacement Draft 2019:
| Franchise Name | Player In | Player Out | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multan Sultans | Andre Russell (WI) | Steve Smith (AUS) | Permanent |
| James Vince (ENG) | Joe Denly (ENG) | Permanent | |
| Quetta Gladiators | Dwayne Smith (WI) | DJ Bravo (WI) | Partial Cover-up |
| Peshawar Zalmi | Andre Fletcher (WI) | Waqar Salamkheil (BAN) | Permanent |
| Lahore Qalandars | Hardus Viljoen (SA) and David Wiese (SA) | AB de Villiers (SA), Carlos Brathwaite (WI) and Corey Anderson (NZ) | Partial Cover-up |
Permanent availability means that the players have been permanently replaced by the franchises whereas partial cover-up is temporary replacement for the said players until they are available to join their respective teams.
The replacement bids from Islamabad United and Karachi Kings were not submitted. We will update as soon as more information is made available regarding that matter.
Squad Expansion Bids
As part of the squad expansion, all the franchises have announced their local player signings:
| Franchise Name | Players Signed |
|---|---|
| Lahore Qalandars | Saad Ali |
| Multan Sultans | Hammad Azam |
| Quetta Gladiators | Mohammad Irfan Jr. |
| Karachi Kings | Umer Khan |
Islamabad and Peshawar did not submit their bids and reserve the right to select a player in the near future, if needed.
What do you make of the Replacement Draft 2019? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
fawad alam deserved a place in PSL , i dont know whyhe remained unpicked
Kinda lost interest in PSL just cox of this unjistice