Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan, New Zealand’s opener Martin Guptill and one of the most sought after T20 players in the world West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell are set to feature in the remaining matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 for Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators respectively as their names were submitted as replacement picks in an online session held with the franchise representatives on Tuesday evening.
Australian top-order batter Usman Khawaja –Islamabad United and Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad –Multan Sultans were the other picks in the first round of the replacement pick process.
The HBL PSL 6 was postponed after 14 matches on 4 March this year. The remaining 20 matches of the sixth edition of one of the most sought after T20 leagues in the world will be played at Karachi’s National Stadium from 1-20 June.
The teams submitted a total of 19 picks. Peshawar Zalmi, Gladiators and United opted to reserve one pick each and will be submitting these names at a later stage. The three teams can choose silver category players closer to or during the remainder of the tournament.
In the Diamond category, Kings nominated Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera and Afghanistan batter Najeebullah Zadran. South Africa batter Janneman Malan was nominated by United. Zalmi opted for West Indian all-rounder Fabian Allen while Qalandars opted for Australian quick James Faulkner.
In the Gold category, Qalandars nominated Australia’s Joe Burns, West Indian Rovman Powell was nominated by Zalmi and Multan Sultans submitted the name of Afghanistan’s keeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
Windies pacer Fidel Edwards was nominated by Zalmi in the Silver round replacements followed by South Africa’s George Linde by Sultans, Litton Das by Kings and Australian batter Callum Ferguson by Qalandars.
Obed McCoy and Seekkugge Prasanna were nominated by Sultans and Lahore Qalandars respectively in the supplementary round picks.
Meanwhile, the teams would need to field a minimum of two and a maximum of four foreign players in their playing elevens for the June-leg of the HBL PSL 6.
HBL PSL 6 foreign replacements:
Islamabad United: Usman Khawaja replaces Alex Hales, Janneman Malan replaces Lewis Gregory.
Karachi Kings: Martin Guptill replaces Colin Ingram, Thisara Perera replaces Mohammad Nabi, Najeebullah Zadran replaces Dan Christian, Litton Das replaces Joe Clarke
Lahore Qalandars: Shakib-al-Hasan replaces Rashid Khan, James Faulkner replaces David Wiese, Joe Burns replaces Samit Patel, Callum Fergusson replaces Tom Abell, Seekuge Prasana replaces Joe Denly
Multan Sultans: Mahmudullah Riyad replaces Chris Lynn, Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaces James Vince, George Linde replaces Adam Lyth, Obed McCoy replaces Carlos Brathwaite
Peshawar Zalmi: Fabian Allen replaces Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Rovman Powell replaces Liam Livingstone, Fidel Edwards replaces Saqib Mahmood
Quetta Gladiators: Andre Russell replaces Tom Banton
The players who took part in the first 14 matches (or the ones who were part of a franchise squad and were to join their squads later) and are at present fully or partially available to their respective franchises are:
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Fawad Ahmed, Ali Khan
Karachi Kings: Chadwick Walton, Noor Ahmed
Lahore Qalandars: Ben Dunk
Multan Sultans: Rilee Rossouw, Imran Tahir (partially available)
Peshawar Zalmi: Sherfane Rutherford, David Miller (partially available)
Quetta Gladiators: Cameron Delport, Qais Ahmed, Faf du Plessis (partially available), Ben Cutting (partially available)
Schedule of the 20 remaining matches (all matches at National Stadium, Karachi; evening matches will start at 2000; in case of double-headers, first match will begin at 1700 while the second match will start at 2200):
1 June: Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United (N)
2 June: Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings (N)
3 June: Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators (N)
4 June: Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars (N)
5 June: Islamabad United v Karachi Kings (D); Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators (N)
6 June: Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings (N)
7 June: Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars (N)
8 June: Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi (N)
9 June: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars (N)
10 June: Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings (N)
11 June: Multan Sultans v Islamabad United (N)
12 June: Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi (D); Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars (N)
13 June: Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi (N)
14 June: Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars (N)
16 June: Qualifier (1 v 2) (N)
17 June: Eliminator 1 (3 v 4) (N)
18 June: Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1) (N)
20 June: Final (N)