The fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is edging closer, and the list of local players’ drafts was recently announced.
There were a number of changes to the players’ categories as Mohammad Sami was pushed from the Diamond to the Gold category despite captaining Islamabad United. On the flip side, likes of Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, and other youngsters also improved on their categories.
We have compiled a complete list of players included in the PSL 2020 draft and how their categories have changed from last year.
Platinum Category
Regarded as the most premium category in the PSL draft, the players included are the face of the franchise as they are the highest-paid players.
Each franchise can pick three platinum players, but there cannot be more than two local or foreign players.
The players mentioned below have all been included in the PSL 2020 Platinum category. Below is a comparison as to how they have improved on their categories from the last edition of PSL.
- Promoted: 6
- Demoted: 0
- Retained: 11
| ∧ / ∨ | Player | New Category | Previous Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| ∧ | Shaheen Afridi | Platinum | Silver |
| ∧ | Imad Wasim | Platinum | Diamond |
| ∧ | Kamran Akmal | Platinum | Diamond |
| ∧ | Mohammad Irfan | Platinum | Diamond |
| ∧ | Mohammad Nawaz | Platinum | Diamond |
| ∧ | Sohail Tanvir | Platinum | Diamond |
| Players Retained – Platinum Category: Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, and Wahab Riaz. |
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Diamond Category
Each franchise can select a maximum of three players from the Diamond category. This category features good solid performers. Here are the changes made into this category compared to last year.
- Promoted: 6
- Demoted: 1
- Retained: 4
| ∧ / ∨ | Player | New Category | Previous Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| ∧ | Ahmed Shehzad | Diamond | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Iftikhar Ahmed | Diamond | Silver |
| ∧ | Haris Sohail | Diamond | Silver |
| ∧ | Mohammad Rizwan | Diamond | Gold |
| ∧ | Umar Akmal | Diamond | Gold |
| ∧ | Imam-ul-Haq | Diamond | Late Addition |
| ∨ | Mohammad Sami | Gold | Diamond |
| Players Retained – Diamond Category: Asif Ali, Junaid Khan, Usman Shinwari, and Yasir Shah. | |||
Gold Category
In this category, the franchises have an abundance of options which is why there are several changes in the Gold category each year.
- Promoted: 16
- Demoted: 1
- Retained: 3
| ∧ / ∨ | Player | New Category | Previous Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| ∧ | Salman Butt | Gold | Late Addition |
| ∧ | Hammad Azam | Gold | 21st Player |
| ∧ | Saad Ali | Gold | 21st Player |
| ∧ | Mohammad Hasnain | Gold | Emerging |
| ∧ | Aamer Yamin | Gold | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Aizaz Cheema | Gold | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Anwar Ali | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Awais Zia | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Hussain Talat | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Mohammad Abbas | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Sahibzada Farhan | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Shoaib Maqsood | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Sohail Akhtar | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Sohail Khan | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Waqas Maqsood | Gold | Silver |
| ∧ | Zafar Gohar | Gold | Silver |
| ∨ | Qais Ahmed | Not Included | Gold |
| Players Retained – Gold Category: Rahat Ali, Shan Masood, and Umer Amin. | |||
Silver Category
Each franchise can select a total of 5 players from this list. The Silver category contains the most number of players in the PSL 2020 draft. Here are the changes made to the list:
- Promoted: 13
- Demoted: 0
- Retained: 14
| ∧ / ∨ | Player | New Category | Previous Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| ∧ | Mohammad Irfan Jr. | Silver | 21st Player |
| ∧ | Ali Shafiq | Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Amad Butt | Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Gauhar Ali | Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Ibtisam Sheikh | Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Jaahid Ali | Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Jalat Khan |  Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Rizwan Hussain |  Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Samiullah | Silver | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Ghulam Mudassir | Silver | Emerging |
| ∧ | Mohammad Musa | Silver | Emerging |
| ∧ | Sameen Gul | Silver | Emerging |
| ∧ | Naseem Shah | Silver | Emerging |
| Players Retained – Silver Category: Agha Salman, Ahsan Ali, Danish Aziz, Hassan Khan, Jamal Anwar, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Asghar, Nauman Ali, Saud Shakeel, Umaid Asif, Umar Siddiq, Usama Mir, and Khalid Usman. | |||
Emerging Category
Choosing one player from this category is compulsory for each franchise. These youngsters will get a good run of games in the PSL 2020. Here are a couple of changes made to the list.
- Promoted: 2
- Demoted: 0
- Retained: 7
| ∧ / ∨ | Player | New Category | Previous Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| ∧ | Mohammad Azam Khan | Emerging | Supplementary |
| ∧ | Umer Khan | Emerging | 21st Player |
| Players Retained – Silver Category: Ali Imran, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Ilyas, Nabi Gul, Nasir Nawaz, and Umair Maqsood. | |||
This was a complete analysis of the changes made in the new players’ draft and how they have either been promoted or demoted. It remains to be seen whether the squad expansion draft will also take place this season or not, which are the 21st players.
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Where is Asad Shafiq?
When did Faheem Ashraf become a player to be included in the Platinum category? And where is Khushdil Shah? A player in the current T20 squad but no place in PSL? As always, it seems these decisions are being made in drawing rooms on Whatsapp.