LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Thursday announced that Sri Lankan white-ball captain Charith Asalanka has registered for the much-awaited player draft for the upcoming 10th edition of the premier league.
The announcement was made on the league’s social media with a banner and caption saying: “A class act! Sri Lankan ODI and T20I captain Charith Asalanka joins the #HBLPSLDraft.”
The 27-year-old, who made his international debut in 2021, was named Sri Lanka’s white-ball captain in July last year, replacing all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga.
Asalanka represented Sri Lanka in three Tests, 68 ODIs and 58 T20Is and scored 3,500 runs across formats with the help of three centuries and 20 fifties.
He also has vast experience in T20s, playing 134 matches. The batting all-rounder, however, has played in just one franchise league – International League T20 – apart from his country’s Lanka Premier League (LPL).
Notably, Asalanka is the first Sri Lankan player and the 30th foreign player to register for the PSL 10 draft, which will take place in Balochistan for the first time as Gwadar will host the historic event on January 11, 2025.
The pick order for the player draft was also announced, with two-time champions Lahore Qalandars taking the first pick in the opening round of the platinum category, followed by arch-rivals Karachi Kings.
2019 champions Quetta Gladiators will have the third pick while Peshawar Zalmi will have the fourth.
Last season’s runners-up Sultans and defending champions United will make the fifth and sixth picks respectively.
Foreign players registered in the PSL 10-player draft:
Charith Asalanka, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Jason Holder, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Chris Lynn, Adam Milne, David Warner, Tim Southee, Martin Guptill, Rassie van der Dussen, Matthew Short, Gudakesh Motie, Alex Hales, Luke Wood, Sean Abbott , Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, Corbin Bosh, Rilee Rossouw, Colin Munro, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Curran, David Willey, Dawid Malan, Jason Roy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman and Sikandar Raza.
