HBL Pakistan Super League 2024 local players categories renewed

HBL Pakistan Super League 2024 local players categories renewed

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Nine players had their categories upgraded following the local player category renewal process for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League. The Pakistan cricket board earlier opened for registration window for foreign players as well. The event is likely to take place from 8^th February to 24^th March.

Naseem Shah and Iftikhar Ahmed, both Quetta Gladiators players, have been upgraded from diamond to platinum. Sarfraz Ahmed has been moved to diamond from gold. Peshawar Zalmi’s young Wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris has been shifted to diamond from gold as well. His teammate pace bowler Salman Irshad has moved to gold from silver. Multan Sultan’s young guns Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah have both been promoted to the gold category, after playing as emerging picks last year.

Islamabad United Wicket-Keeper batter Azam Khan and pace all rounder Faheem Ashraf have also been upgraded from gold to diamond. Zeeshan Zamir has moved from emerging to silver, while Mubasir Khan has moved from emerging to gold. Karachi kings Tayyab Tahir has moved from silver to gold, while Qasim Akram has been upgraded to gold from emerging. Lahore Qalandars Zaman Khan and Kamran Ghulam have been enhanced gold from emerging and silver respectively.
 

Some players have been demoted

The changes include Mohammad Nawaz, Quetta Gladiators (Platinum to Diamond), Mohammad Hasnain, Quetta Gladiators (Diamond to Gold). Haider Ali, Karachi Kings (Platinum to Gold) and Asif Ali, Islamabad United (Platinum to Diamond). Players who have represented Pakistan Internationally cannot be relegated below the gold category.

As part of the category renewal process, franchise representative were required to vote for every player. Teams were not allowed to vote for their own players but submit reviews request at the end of this voting stage.

The list was then reviewed by Director- International Cricket Usman Wahla, current head of the national selection committee Tauseef Ahmed and manager Partnerships Shoaib Khalid.  

The franchises will now put forward relegations request for the players before finalizing retentions. After relegation requests are floated, all teams are given an opportunity to meet the player’s base category. If the player’s base category is not matched, the player may be relegated to a category below his category.