LAHORE: Test cricketer Shan Masood headlined a list of eight players picked by Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises as part of the 2018 PSL expansion draft on Friday. The PSL franchises, via a teleconference, confirmed their picks to PSL’s management.
Masood, a left-handed opening batsman with 12 Tests under his belt, was selected by Multan Sultans as a Silver category pick. But Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars were the most active of the six franchises, each adding two new faces to their roster, with the Kings choosing Mohammad Taha (Emerging) and Mushtaq Ahmed Kalhoro (Talent Hunt), and the Qalandars opting for Imran Khan Junior (Silver) and Salman Irshad (Talent Hunt). Islamabad United signed Rohail Nazir (Emerging), Quetta Gladiators picked Mohammad Junaid (Talent Hunt) and Peshawar Zalmi inducted Khushdil Shah (Emerging) into their squad.
Junaid is also among the standby players for Pakistan’s U19 squad. Born in May 2002, Junaid – aged younger than 16 – will be the youngest player to feature in PSL squads. Khushdil has played some impressive innings in the on-going domestic season of Pakistan. Rohail is currently travelling with Pakistan U19 squad for the tour of Australia and World Cup in New Zealand. Rohail, a wicket-keeper batsman, was Pakistan’s highest run scorer during U16 series against Australia. He was also a member of Lahore Qalandars’ Jazz Rising Stars squad team that toured Australia earlier this year. The expansion draft pool contained players who had gone unpicked during the main draft, those discovered through scouting and talent hunt programmes as well as those who impressed during last month’s National T20 Cup in Rawalpindi. While every franchise picked a player each, Karachi and Lahore were allowed an extra player as their talent programmes had not concluded when the main draft took place in November.
Published in Daily Times, December 30th 2017.