This is what the teams looked like after the two-day long PSL Draft.

cricket

 

And this is how the picks were made

Islamabad were the first ones to choose a captain

https://twitter.com/IsbUnited/status/678935732694753282/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Though others followed suit.

Shahid Afridi will be the captain of the Peshawar Zalmi(No surprises there). Sarfraz Ahmad has been given the role in leading the Quetta Gladiators while Shoaib Malik will be the leader of the Karachi Kings.

Lahore Qalandar has yet to announce their captain, hopefully they’ll do it by the end of the day!

 

Rivalries To Follow

So now that the teams have been announced, here are some of the rivalries that we are really looking forward to. These may be actual rivalries or just because the players are in the same positions for their respective teams, whatever the case these are surefire attention grabbing “rivalries”:

 

 

Chris Gayle (Lahore Qalandars) Vs Shahid Afridi (Peshawar Zalmis)

Source: Siasi TV

Well, this one is pretty obvious. Whose going to hit the most and the furthest distance with their chakka is certainly going to be a major point of interest during the series.

 

Wahab Riaz (Peshawar Zalmis) vs Shane Watson (Islamabad United)

Source: Cricket World

Who can forget the breathtaking spell of Wahab in the World Cup quarter finals against Australia, in the last World Cup? After that, the two teams haven’t played each other and now in PSL Riaz will get a chance to take another go at the Aussie hitter Watson. Sincerely hoping it’s epic and full of flying kisses 😉

 

The logo wars are a battle of their own

Lots of people had different views on the logos so we’ll let you decide this one. Here’s a look at what the logos look like:

https://twitter.com/ajmaljami/status/679244321028186112

 

https://twitter.com/AnmolAleena/status/672462788439236608

PSL does have better* grammar though

Here’s a look at what Pakistani cricket fans thought about the draft picks

 

Adnan Rasool, the oldest player in the emerging category was picked up by Lahore Qalandars

 

People were, generally, very happy about the “balance” within the teams.

These are some of the international players to look out for

They’re were foreign players picked you might haven’t heard off, let us give a brief overview on them. They might not be that known but surely are ones to look out for.

 

Jim Allenby (Peshawar Zalmi)

Source: Wales Online

Australia-born Jim Allenby made his first-class debut for Western Australia but has earned his name playing for Glamorgan in county cricket. The 33-year-old, a medium-pace bowling allrounder who can strike the ball powerfully, was a force to recokn with in the Glamorgan side that reached the final of the Yorkshire Bank 40 in 2013.

 

Cameron Delport (Lahore Qalandars)

Source: Sportz Wiki

The 26-year-old South African is a big-hitting left-hand batsman who is also capable of bowling solid medium pace. He has played in the Big Bash League and the Caribbean Premier League , and slammed a lighting 34 off 9 for Dolphins to briefly threaten Chennai Super Kings during a massive chase in the 2014 Champions League T20 – he finished that tournament with a strike rate of 280.

 

Kevon Cooper (Lahore Qalandars)

Source: Kevon Cooper

Pace bowling all rounder, Kevon Cooper is a T20 specialist who plays around the globe – he has already a regular in the IPL, the Bangladesh Premier League and the CPL. The 26-year-old Trinidadian has played 122 T20 games and only two first-class games. He was  was the highest wicket-taker in the BPL with 22 wickets at an average of 9.31 and an economy rate under six.

 

James Vince (Karachi Kings)

Source: Zimbio

Hampshire captain James Vince recently made his T20I debut for England against Pakistan. He showed flair and consistency in making scores of 41, 38 and 46 in the three-match T20 series and finished as the highest scorer of the tournament. Former England coach Duncan Fletcher once compared Vince’s batting to that of former England captain, Michael Vaughan.

 

 

Here are some interesting tidbits from the Draft

 

Surprises of the Draft

Source: Express Tribune

Younus Khan didn’t get selected even today as well! He’s the only captain to win us the T20 World Cup, by the way. But to be honest if we look at his T20 record it’s far from stellar. Nonetheless an angry Younus Khan rant is probably coming very soon.

 

Source: ARY Sports

Saeed Ajmal, one the highest T20 world cricket wicket taker got picked by Islamabad United as a supplementary player. How times change, no? Some other year he probably would have been given the iconic status.

 

However, Abdul Razzaq got picked as the first supplementary player by Lahore Qalandars!

Fun fact: Azhar Ali, the current ODI captain of Pakistan side was also picked up by Lahore Qalandars.

Fawad Alam was also picked up as a supplementary player. He was picked up by Karachi.

Fawad though had a bit too powerful of an effect on the Kings

Yes, After Fawad they reached their limit!

 

Pick of the Draft

This title has to be a close tie between Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars. The former picked Shahid BOOM BOOM Afridi and the latter, Chris Gayle! I guess only time will tell who will actually turn out to be the golden egg laying chicken for their team.

 

Awkward picture from the draft

Wonder what shocked Afridi bhai

https://twitter.com/thePSLt20/status/679182560782647296/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

Some of the teams also faced some financial issues

The teams who reached their limit (Budget)

Quetta Gladiators also ran out of budget to make the 20th pick!

 

 

Final Word

To be honest, all the five teams look evenly matched, and have quality players. If one has the experience and power of Afridi, the other has the strength of Gayle or Kevin Pieterson. Specialist bowlers like Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Aamir are evenly placed along with other talented players. This is going to be a pretty tightly contested league and one to really look forward to.

Are you excited for Pakistan Super League?