PCB announces pick order for PSL 9 Player Draft

With cricket fans eagerly waiting for the ninth edition of the country's flagship cricket tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Monday announced the pick order for the player draft for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Quetta Gladiators will make the first pick in the PSL 2024 player draft followed by Karachi Kings and two-time winners Islamabad United with second and third picks, respectively.

Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth picks will be done by Peshawar Zalmi and PSL-8 runners-up Multan Sultans, whereas Lahore Qalandars will have the sixth pick in the first round of the player draft.

"The selection order for the first round for the Platinum category is determined by the inverse order of the previous season's standings. In order to make the pick order more equitable, a different franchise shall occupy the first pick in the first round of each category," the board said in a press release.

Quetta Gladiators will begin the Platinum picks, Karachi Kings will have the first diamond pick, Peshawar Zalmi will have the opening gold pick, Multan Sultans will have the first pick in the silver category, Islamabad United will pick the first player in the emerging category and Lahore Qalandars will have the first supplementary pick.

"The PCB has previously opened the registration window for foreign players. The flagship event is tentatively scheduled from February 8 to March 24, 2024," the press release added.

The board also highlighted that franchisees will submit relegation requests for players before finalising retentions. 

Following the floating of relegation requests, all teams have the chance to match the player's base category. If the player's base category is not matched, they may be relegated to a category below their base category, the PCB said.

The PSL 9 Draft is likely to take place in mid-December following the conclusion of the National T20.