PSL debutants Hyderabad confirm four signings ahead of 11th edition
Saim becomes most expensive player in PSL history with Rs126 million deal
KARACHI: Pakistan Super League (PSL) debutants Hyderabad on Friday confirmed their signings ahead of the 11th edition of the tournament, scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.
The franchise has secured four key players ahead of the highly anticipated player auction on February 11, announcing that Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Maaz Sadaqat and Akif Javed will be part of their squad.
According to the PSL, Hyderabad roped in Ayub for Rs126 million in the Platinum category, followed by Usman for Rs46.2 million in the Diamond, while Maaz and Akif were signed for Rs35 million and Rs19.6 million in the Emerging and Gold categories, respectively.
Earlier today, the franchise also announced Australia's established batter Marnus Labuschagne as their direct signing.
The development came a day before Hyderabad is set to officially unveil its team name and logo at a star-studded ceremony, scheduled to be held at Niaz Stadium on February 7 at 6:00 PM, an announcement shared through Kingsmen Cricket's social media platforms along with a banner highlighting the event.
For the unversed, the franchise has also strengthened its coaching panel ahead of the historic edition by bringing in high-profile international names.
Former Pakistan red-ball head coach and Australian all-rounder Jason Gillespie will lead as head coach, with Grant Bradburn joining as fielding coach, Craig White as assistant coach, Hanif Malik as batting coach and Zac Martin taking charge of strength and conditioning.
The 11th edition of the PSL will see a historic change as the traditional player draft has been replaced by a player auction, while the league itself expands to eight teams for the first time.
Hyderabad and Sialkot join the tournament as new franchises, with Hyderabad, owned by Fawad Sarwar, securing the team with a winning bid of PKR 1.75 billion ($6.25 million).
This expansion marks a significant milestone in PSL history, following the entry of Multan Sultans in Season 3, which increased the number of teams from five to six.
With the addition of Hyderabad and Sialkot, the league will now feature eight competing teams.
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