Key points
- Many international stars failed to attract bids
- PSL held first-ever auction in Lahore
- Franchises reshaped squads for PSL 11
LAHORE: Former Australia opener Usman Khawaja and South Africa’s seasoned spinner Keshav Maharaj were among the biggest names to go unsold at the first-ever Pakistan Super League (PSL) auction, held at the Expo Centre on Wednesday.
The left-handed batter was one of several well-known international and local cricketers who failed to receive offers as franchises revamped their squads under the league’s newly introduced auction system ahead of the 11th edition, set to take place from March 26 to May 3.
Alongside Khawaja, a number of high-profile overseas players were also overlooked, including England’s Dawid Malan, Jason Roy and Reece Topley, Australia’s emerging T20 star Jake Fraser-McGurk, New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham, and South Africans Rassie van der Dussen, Tony de Zorzi and Maharaj.
Other recognised T20 specialists such as Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Alzarri Joseph and Shahnawaz Dahani also remained without contracts. Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, as well as Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka, were similarly not picked.
Among Pakistani players, Hussain Talat, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Zeeshan, Zahid Mehmood, Musa Khan and Rohail Nazir were notable omissions. Young talents such as Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan and Pakistan U19 captain Farhan Yousaf also went unsold.
