ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Super League’s new franchises, Sialkot Stallions and Hyderabad, have officially announced their retained players ahead of the upcoming PSL season, with Saim Ayub emerging as the biggest headline after becoming the most expensive Pakistani player in league history.
Under PSL retention regulations, each franchise was permitted to retain one player in each category. Hyderabad made a major statement by retaining left-handed opener Saim Ayub in the Platinum category for Rs126 million, setting a new record for a Pakistani player in the tournament.
Hyderabad also confirmed the retention of Usman Khan in the Diamond category for Rs46.2 million, Akif Javed in the Gold category for Rs19.6 million and Maaz Sadaqat in the Emerging category for Rs35 million. The selections underline the franchise’s strategy to build around a high-impact top order.
Meanwhile, Sialkot Stallions focused on experience and squad balance. They retained all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz in the Platinum category for Rs61.6 million, Salman Mirza in the Diamond category for Rs39.2 million, Ahmed Daniyal in the Gold category for Rs22.4 million and Saad Masood in the Emerging category for Rs8.4 million.
With both franchises securing their core players, attention now turns to the PSL draft, where squads will be further strengthened for the new season.
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