PSL Holds Court At Hazoori Bagh To Draft Players For 10th Edition

PSL holds court at Hazoori Bagh to draft players for 10th edition

Staged in the majestic backdrop of the 16th century architectural masterpiece Lahore Fort, the player draft for the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was held at sprawling lawns of the iconic Hazoori Bagh on the sunny Monday afternoon in the historic city of Lahore

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Jan, 2025) Staged in the majestic backdrop of the 16th century architectural masterpiece Lahore Fort, the player draft for the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was held at sprawling lawns of the iconic Hazoori Bagh on the sunny Monday afternoon in the historic city of Lahore.

History was made as the PSL entered its 10th year of life and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chose a momentous venue to mark decade of cricketing excellence. The selection of the venue to mark historic moment was significant in the way that Hazoori Bagh itself unveiled history in every nook and corner of it.

Hazoori Bagh – formerly a caravan serai during the Mughal rule - was designed on the pattern of the Mughal gardens during the reign of the then Punjab ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The ‘baradari’ (a pavilion where Maharaja held court) in the center of the garden was built in the year 1818 to celebrate capture of koh i Noor diamond by the Sikh ruler from Shuja Shah Durrani in 1813.

As the sports is about diversity, cultural understanding, the Hazoori Bagh was picked as a venue to showcase to the world diversity, cultural heritage and harmony of Lahore as it is surrounded by Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Roshnai gate. Besides the religious harmony exhibited in conservation of sacred relics of the minority communities, the Roshnai gate and other sites symbiose the architectural grandeur of the magical Lahore.

As the PSL 10 drafted players from across the globe to exhibit their prowess on the fields of cricket, the venue also drew attention of the world to the rich cultural, architectural and political history of the city of Lahore.

Keeping pace with history, PCB invited former Pakistan great Zaheer Abbas as the guest who distributed souvenirs among the franchise owners and the representatives of the broadcasters.

Former English fast bowler Dominic Cork and former Pakistan woman team captain Sana Mir conducted the Player Draft ceremony during which the six franchises picked players in the platinum, diamond, gold, silver, emerging and supplementary categories.

Prominent among the drafted players are Australian batsmen David Warner (Karachi Kings), Matthew Short (Islamabad United), Max Bryant (Peshawar Zalmi), all rounder Benjamin Dwarshuis (Islamabad United); New Zealanders Dary Mitchel (Lahore Qalandars), Adam Milne (Karachi Kings), Mark Chapman (Quetta Gladiators), Michael Bracewell (Multan Sultans), Finn Allen (Finn Allen), Tim Seifert (Karachi Kings), Kyle Jamieson (Quetta Gladiators); West Indian Jason Holder (Islamabad United) Gudakesh Moti (Multan Sultans); Sri Lankan Kusal Prera (Lahore Qalandars); Afghani Najeebullah Zadran (Peshawar Zalmi); Irsihman Josh Little (Multan Sultans); American Andries Gous (Islamabad United) and Bangladeshi Nahid Rana (Peshawar Zalmi), Rishad Hussain (Lahore Qalandars) and Liton Das (Karachi Kings).

In the supplementary category, the overseas players included Australian Riley Meredith (Islamabad United) Sean Abbott (Quetta Gladiators); West Indian Alzarri Joseph (Peshawar Zalmi), Johnson Charles (Multan Sultans, Shai Hope (Multan Sultans); Englishman Tom Curran (Lahore Qalandars), Sam Billings (Lahore Qalandars); Sri Lankan Kusal Mendis (Quetta Gladiators); New Zealander Kane Williamson (Karachi Kings); (Peshawar Zalmi); South African Rassie van der Dussen (Islamabad United); Afghani Mohammad Nabi (Karachi Kings).