PSL has been a competitive T20 league. The last nine editions have seen six winners! No team can claim to have dominated this tournament in the past. Picking up a clear winner for the season would be tough, but looking back at the past few seasons can give us a glimpse into the sides' potential.
# Islamabad United
They are the defending champions and the most successful team in the league's history. Shadab Khan continues as skipper and shall aim for the 4th title this year. They didn't make a great start last season but peaked at the right time and dominated the playoffs. Khan will expect a good start and a dominating show from his strong group of players. They have big names like Colin Munro, Matthew Short, Jason Holder, Ben Dwarshuis, Naseem Shah, and Alex Carey, making them one of the teams to watch out for in this edition of the PSL.
Squad: Shadab Khan (c), Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan, Haider Ali, Rumman Raees, Colin Munro, Matthew Short, Jason Holder, Ben Dwarshuis, Salman Irshad, Mohammad Nawaz, Andries Gous, Saad Masood, Hunain Shah, Riley Meredith, Alex Carey
# Multan Sultans
It was a heartbreak for the Multan Sultans last season. They topped the points table in the league stage but lost to Islamabad United in the final by a narrow margin. They won the tournament in 2021 and have been runner-up for the last three seasons. They are one of the strongest teams in the tournament and shall look to go the distance this year after missing out in the last three seasons. Players like David Willey, Mohammad Hasnain, Joshua Little, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, and Iftikhar Ahmed will look to guide the team to their second title.
Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), David Willey, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Faisal Akram, Chris Jordan, Michael Bracewell, Mohammad Hasnain, Kamran Ghulam, Akif Javed, Tayyab Tahir, Gudakesh Motie, Joshua Little, Shahid Aziz, Ubaid Shah, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Yasir Khan, Muhammad Amir Barki
# Peshawar Zalmi
Babar Azam's team is the most consistent in the tournament's history. They have reached the playoffs in every edition and won it once in 2017. The last few seasons haven't been the best for the team in the playoffs, as they have lost crunch games. Azam likes leading from the front and wants a positive start this year. They have a strong batting lineup, but their bowling attack hasn't been at its best. Azam will look to get the bowling combination right and expect good performances from players like Mohammad Haris, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Max Bryant, Najibullah Zadran, George Linde, and Alzarri Joseph.
Squad: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufiyan Muqeem, Ali Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, George Linde, Mohammad Ali, Abdul Samad, Nahid Rana, Hussain Talat, Max Bryant, Najibullah Zadran, Maaz Sadaqat, Alzarri Joseph, Ahmed Daniyal
# Karachi Kings
The last three seasons have been bad for the Karachi Kings, as the team has failed to go beyond the playoffs. David Warner takes on the role of skipper from Shan Masood, and the Aussie great will look to turn around the team's fortunes. They have failed to make good starts in the last three years and have paid the price. Warner would want his team to put the upsets behind them and play with a positive mind. James Vince, Tim Seifert, Adam Milne, Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Litton Das, Riazullah, and Kane Williamson are key players for the team and must do well.
Squad: David Warner (c), Shan Masood, James Vince, Hasan Ali, Arafat Minhas, Irfan Khan Niazi, Zahid Mahmood, Tim Seifert, David Warner, Adam Milne, Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Aamir Jamal, Mir Hamza, Litton Das, Riazullah, Fawad Ali, Kane Williamson, Mohammad Nabi, Omair Yousuf, Mirza Mamoon
# Quetta Gladiators
They won the title in 2019, and the team has been on a downward slide since then. They made it to playoffs last year but lost in the Eliminator. Rilee Rossouw takes over as the team's skipper and will look to infuse fresh energy into the team. The team isn't short of talent or star power, but they haven't got it right in the last four years. Rossouw must lift the spirits in the camp and get the best performances out of Mohammad Amir, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammad Zeeshan, Kusal Mendis, Sean Abbott, and Shoaib Malik. It will be interesting to see if the team can change its fortunes this year.
Squad: Rilee Rossouw (c), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed, Khawaja Nafay, Akeal Hosein, Usman Tariq, Mark Chapman, Faheem Ashraf, Finn Allen, Khurram Shehzad, Haseebullah Khan, Kyle Jamieson, Hassan Nawaz, Mohammad Zeeshan, Kusal Mendis, Sean Abbott, Shoaib Malik, Danish Aziz
# Lahore Qalandars
From winning the title in 2022 and 2023 to finishing at the bottom of the points table last year, the Lahore Qalandars have seen the extreme ends of the spectrum in the last two years. Shaheen Afridi has inspired confidence in his players and led from the front in the last few years. He will aim to do the same this season and aim for the third title. A good start will be key to success for the team, and Afridi expects consistency and strong performances from Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Kusal Perera, and Tom Curran.
Squad: Shaheen Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Abdullah Shafique, Zaman Khan, Jahandad Khan, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Daryl Mitchell, Kusal Perera, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Rishad Hossain, Muhammad Akhlaq, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Azab, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Salman Mirza, Muhammad Naeem
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The T20 fervor will be on full steam in April as we have the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League. It is a momentous occasion for the tournament, which has grown in stature and popularity over the last decade. We have started the year with the success of the Big Bash League, SA20, and the International League T20. This year's PSL would coincide with the biggest cricketing extravagance in the tournament, the Indian Premier League, and we may see some players switching between the two leagues. While the PSL may not have the same brand value as the IPL, it matches up well in terms of the level of competition.
