PSL 2021: Babar Azam, Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan placed in platinum category for 2021 edition

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, who was the player of the season in PSL 2020, has joined the Platinum category for the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League.

Babar Azam, who became the Pakistan skipper in all three formats in November this year, scored 473 runs in 12 matches in PSL 2020, and has been rewarded for his performance.

With Azam, top Pakistan players like Mohammad Amir, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim too have been put in the Platinum category. Others in the list include the Pakistan Zalmi trio of Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz. Multan Sultan veteran players Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir are among the list of 13 players in the Platinum category.

The Pakistan Super League 2020 was won by Karachi Kings in a thriller of a final played on November 18 in Karachi this year.

Some of the other players who have been rewarded for their performance in the last season include pacer Mohammad Hasnain, who



moved up from Gold to Diamond after ending as Quetta's leading wicket-taker in the PSL 2020 with 15 wickets.

Qalandars pacer Haris Rauf's meteoric rise continues as the fast bowler moves up from Gold to Diamond. He is the leading wicket-taker in 2020 with 57 scalps at 19.57.

PCB set ball rolling for PSL 2021

With the player draft system now ready for the next season, the Pakistan Cricket Board has set the ball rolling for the 2021 season. The system is very different to IPL where players go through an auction.

The Pakistan skipper currently is in New Zealand where he has been ruled out of the first Test against the Black Caps on Boxing Day, due to a thumb fracture.

Babar, 26, sustained the injury during a practice session in Queenstown last week and was ruled out of the ongoing three-match Twenty20 series. Opening batsman Imam-Ul-Haq will also miss the game after fracturing his left thumb during a net session.