There is not a single Quetta Gladiators player on the team, which features members of the Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Multan Sultans, and Peshawar Zalmi.
Shaheen Shah Afridi of the Lahore Qalandars has been chosen by an impartial panel to lead the team in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023. The panel includes commentators Bazid Khan, Daren Ganga, Nick Knight, and Sana Mir, in addition to technical committee chairman Haroon Rashid.
When selecting the team, an unbiased panel considered a range of T20 cricket factors, including consistency, impact on the team and entire game, and optimal team composition, allowing this team to compete against any T20 team on any given day, at any venue, under all conditions.
After helping his team recover from a crushing defeat to Multan Sultans in the qualifier by defeating Peshawar Zalmi in Eliminator 2, Afridi led the Qalandars to the top of the points table with seven victories. He then smashed a 15-ball, 44 not out, and took four for 51 to lead his team to the PSL title and the player of the final award.
As the PSL teams’ idea was adopted in 2019, Afridi has made it to the exclusive side for the fourth consecutive year. Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah, players for the Sultans who took home the Emerging and Player of PSL 8 titles, respectively, are also in the team. Mohammad Haris and Azam Khan are being chosen for the tournament team for the first time, just like the Multan pair.
Overall, the team consists of five members from the Sultans, who lost in the final; two members from each of the Qalandars and Zalmi; and one member from each of Islamabad United and Karachi Kings. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been selected as openers, while a formidable middle order of Haris, Rilee Rossouw, Azam, and Kieron Pollard has also been selected. All-rounder Imad Wasim, who was chosen for the PSL team for the first time, is followed by Rashid Khan, a wrist spinner, and three fast bowlers in Afridi, Ihsanullah, and Abbas.
Babar has been chosen as an opener four times in the last five years, although the first three times were with Rizwan, who was chosen for the tournament’s team of the year three times in a row.
Squad of PSL 8 (in batting order)
Multan Sultans’ Mohammad Rizwan (550 runs; 1 x 100; 4 x 50; strike rate: 142.85) Peshawar Zalmi’s Babar Azam (522 runs, 1 x 100, 5 x 50, strike rate: 145.40) Mohammad Haris of the Peshawar Zalmi (350 runs, 2×50, strike-rate 186.17) (Multan Sultans) Rilee Rossouw (453 runs, 1 x 100, 3 x 50, strike-rate 171.59) (Islamabad United) Azam Khan (282 runs, 2×50, strike-rate 161.14) (Multan Sultans) Kieron Pollard (260 runs, 2×50, strike-rate 163.52, 3 wickets, 8.62 ec.) (Karachi Kings) Imad Wasim (404 runs, 3×50, strike-rate 170.46; 9 wickets, 7.93 ec). (Captain) Shaheen Shah Afridi of the Lahore Qalandars (133 runs; strike rate of 168.35; 19 wickets; 9.13 ecb) (Lahore Qalandars) Rashid Khan (20 wickets, 6.53 ec) (Multan Sultans) Abbas Afridi (23 wickets, 9.45 ec.) (Multan Sultans) Ihsanullah (22 wickets, 7.59 ec.) The Peshawar Zalmi’s Saim Ayub (341 runs, 5×50, 165.53)
*designates international players.
