Eight Bangladeshi players in the spotlight for PSL draft
Joining Shakib, Mahmudullah, and Mustafizur in the draft are Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and Towhid Hridoy.
The upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) draft, scheduled for 6 January in Gwadar, Balochistan, will feature eight Bangladeshi cricketers, including Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, and Mustafizur Rahman.
This marks a notable presence from Bangladesh in the tenth edition of the franchise T20 tournament.
Joining Shakib, Mahmudullah, and Mustafizur in the draft are Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and Towhid Hridoy.
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These players have been placed across the Platinum and Diamond categories, although the organisers have not yet disclosed the specific tiers for each cricketer.
The PSL draft will be held in Gwadar for the first time, moving away from its usual venues in Lahore, Islamabad, and Dubai. Balochistan's coastal city is set to host the event as part of an effort to expand cricket's reach within Pakistan.
This year's draft features 510 overseas players from 19 countries, including some of the biggest names in cricket.
Australian stars David Warner and Chris Lynn, New Zealand's Tim Southee and Finn Allen, South Africa's Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen, and England's Jason Roy and Alex Hales headline the list.
Other notable players include Angelo Mathews from Sri Lanka, Jason Holder from the West Indies, and Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi.
With the tournament coinciding with the IPL, many cricketers who missed out on IPL contracts have expressed heightened interest in the PSL.
The PSL is set to run from 8 April to 19 May, aligning with Bangladesh's relatively quiet domestic cricket schedule apart from the Dhaka Premier League. As a result, Bangladeshi players are unlikely to face obstacles in securing No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) if picked by PSL franchises.
Teams were allowed to retain up to eight players ahead of the draft.
Defending champions Islamabad United, along with Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, filled their retention quota, while Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, and Peshawar Zalmi retained seven players each.
Traditionally held in February and March, the PSL has been rescheduled to April-May due to the ICC Champions Trophy. This adjustment has created a direct overlap with the IPL, intensifying competition between the two leagues for top-tier players.
