SPORTS REPORT
ISLAMABAD: World-class batting star and Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam will lead Peshawar Zalmi in the upcoming eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023, to be held in February next year, the franchise announced Wednesday.
Babar Azam, who was part of Karachi Kings in previous formats, will lead Peshawar Zalmi for the first time.
In one of the major trades of the tournament last month, Peshawar Zalmi accepted Babar in the Platinum category as the first pick in the supplementary round for Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik, who will now represent Karachi Kings in the Platinum and Diamond categories, respectively.
Babar Azam: highest scorer in PSL
The prolific right-hander is still the highest scorer of PSL, with 2,413 runs on board in 68 matches; however, Karachi King also, for the first time, lost nine matches in a single edition of PSL under his captaincy.
The final players’ draft for PSL season 8 will take place in Karachi on December 15. The Director of the tournament, Usman Wahla has said that the upcoming PSL will be bigger with the inclusion of some prominent names from around the world.
The PCB has already issued the pick order for the draft, where defending champions Lahore Qalandars will make the first pick.
Meanwhile, Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans will have second and third picks. While Karachi Kings and Islamabad United will tackle the fourth and fifth picks. Peshawar Zalmi will go for the sixth pick. According to the schedule PSL 8 will begin from February 9 till March 19 in Karachi, Multan, Rawalpindi, and Lahore.
