LAHORE; The potential player categories for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11 draft have been revealed, indicating significant value changes for several marquee names ahead of the auction.
According to sources, while cornerstone stars have retained their top-tier status, numerous players have seen their draft categories shift. Islamabad United’s core of Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, and Naseem Shah is set to remain in the elite Platinum category. However, the team sees a major promotion, with all-rounders Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Nawaz reportedly moving up from Diamond to Platinum.
In a notable demotion, explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan is slated to move down from Diamond to the Gold category.
Karachi Kings will see a change in their pace attack’s valuation. Hasan Ali is expected to be elevated from Diamond to Platinum, while Abbas Afridi is set to move in the opposite direction, dropping from Platinum to Diamond. For Peshawar Zalmi, star batters Babar Azam and Saim Ayub remain Platinum, but wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris and pacer Mohammad Ali are likely to move down from Diamond to Gold.
Other significant movements include Lahore Qalandars’ pacer Salman Mirza reportedly moving up from Gold to Diamond, and Multan Sultans’ Khushdil Shah and Aamir Jamal moving from Diamond to Gold.
These pre-draft categorizations are crucial as they determine the base price and selection order for players in the auction, setting the strategic stage for franchise bidding wars. The final official list is expected to be released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ahead of the draft, which will shape the squads for PSL’s eleventh season.
