The Cricketer runs through all the details you need to know ahead of the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League, which kicks off in mid-February
A 20-over franchise competition held in Pakistan.
The second edition of the ILT20 will be held between February 17 and March 18.
The T20 competition features a round-robin group stage, with teams facing one another twice, before the top two sides compete in a qualifier with the winner going straight into the final.
The third and fourth-placed teams go into an eliminator, with the winner playing the team that lost the qualifier for the second final berth.
The six teams involved in the PSL are Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators.
Lahore beat Multan to win the 2023 edition.
Multan Sultans were losing finalists in 2023 (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)
Islamabad United
Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah (both Platinum), Imad Wasim, Azam Khan (both Diamond), Faheem Ashraf (Brand Ambassador), Alex Hales, Colin Munro (all Gold), Rumman Raees (Silver), Tymal Mills, Matthew Forde, Salman Agha, Qasim Akram, Shahab Khan, Hunain Shah, Ubaid Shah, Shamyl Hussain, Tom Curran (injured), Jordan Cox, Haider Ali, Obed McCoy
Karachi Kings
James Vince, Hassan Ali (Diamond), Shan Masood (Brand Ambassador), Shoaib Malik (Mentor), Tabraiz Shamsi (all Gold), Mir Hamza, Muhammad Akhlaq (both Silver), Irfan Khan (Emerging), Mohammad Nawaz, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Tim Seifert, Mohammad Amir Khan, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Sirajuddin, Saad Baig, Jamie Overton, Zahid Mehmood (partial replacement for Zahid Mehmood), Leus du Plooy, Mohammad Rohid
Lahore Qalandars
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum), Haris Rauf (Brand Ambassador), David Wiese (both Diamond), Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique, Zaman Khan (all Gold), Mirza Baig, Rashid Khan (both Silver, injured), Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Imran, Ahsan Bhatti, Dan Lawrence (partially unavailable), Jahandad Khan, Syed Faridoun, Shai Hope, Kamran Ghulam, Rassie van der Dussen, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Tayyab Abbas
Multan Sultans
Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed (both Platinum), Khushdil Shah, Usama Mir (both Diamond), Abbas Afridi (Gold), Ihsanullah (Brand Ambassador, Silver), Faisal Akram (Emerging), Dawid Malan, Reeze Hendricks, Reece Topley, Tayyab Tahir, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Ali, Usman Khan, Yasir Khan, Chris Jordan, Aftab Ibrahim, David Willey, Johnson Charles, Muhammad Shahzad
Peshawar Zalmi
Babar Azam, Rovman Powell (both Platinum), Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all Diamond), Mohammad Haris (Brand Ambassador), Aamir Jamal (both Gold), Khurram Shahzad (Silver), Haseebullah Khan (Emerging), Asif Ali, Naveen-ul-Haq (partially unavailable), Umair Afridi, Dan Mousley, Gus Atkinson, Mohammad Zeeshan, Lungi Ngidi (Waqar Salamkheil), Mehran Mumtaz, Noor Ahmad (replaced by Gus Atkinson), Salman Irshad, Arif Yaqoob, Shamar Joseph (partial replacement for Gus Atkinson), Arshad Iqbal (partial replacement for Khurram Shahzad), Luke Wood
Quetta Gladiators
Rilee Rossouw (Platinum), Mohammad Wasim, Jason Roy, Wanindu Hasaranga (all Diamond), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Brand Ambassador) Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain (all Gold), Mohammad Amir, Will Smeed (Silver) Saud Shakeel, Sajjad Ali, Usman Qadir, Adil Naz, Khawaja Nafay, Akeal Hosein, Sohail Khan, Omair Yousuf, Sherfane Rutherford, Bismillah Khan (partial replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga), Sufiyan Muqeem
Lahore Qalandars won the PSL last season (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)
The reigning champions have experienced allrounder David Wiese in their ranks, along with Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza and the unrivalled Rashid Khan. Dan Lawrence and Shai Hope make up their combination of imports.
Sultans, who were beaten by Qalandars in last year's final, have three Englishmen in their ranks, with Dawid Malan, Reece Topley and Chris Jordan signed up, as well as South Africa's Reeza Hendricks.
Peshawar Zalmi have added the firepower of Rovman Powell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore to Babar Azam's class, while seamers Naveen-ul-Haq and Lungi Ngidi add international pedigree to the seam attack. Dan Mousley is a leftfield signing.
Rilee Rossouw, Jason Roy and Will Smeed are a jampacked overseas top order, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Akeal Hosein are quality spinners.
James Vince will join Karachi Kings on the back of Big Bash and ILT20 exploits, while left-arm wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi adds a prolific spin option from South Africa. Jamie Overton is rewarded for his short-format exploits in English cricket, and Tim Seifert is a keeping option and hard hitter.
His countryman, Colin Munro, will be key for Islamabad United. Both Munro and Alex Hales will join the franchise on the back of batting together for Desert Vipers; Tymal Mills and Tom Curran are also following that path.
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