Muhammad Zeeshan – Zalmi
Zeeshan, a promising pace prospect, has demonstrated his potential while representing Pakistan U19. Standing at an imposing height of 6ft 8 inches, this right-arm fast bowler generates additional bounce, posing challenges for opposing batsmen.
Reflecting on his inclusion in Peshawar Zalmi, Zeeshan commented, “Being picked for Peshawar Zalmi was a big moment for me as HBL PSL is amongst the best leagues in the world. I will be sharing the dressing room with and playing alongside Babar Azam, the best batter in the world, which I am really excited about.”
“T20 cricket allows limited room for the bowlers as the batters are always looking to charge. I think that’s where variations come into play; you need command over your slower balls, bouncers and yorkers to succeed,” he further shared.

Saad Baig – Kings
Hailing from Karachi, Pakistan U19 captain Saad Baig is set to represent his hometown in the ninth edition of HBL PSL. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who guided Pakistan U19 to the semi-finals of the ICC U19 World Cup 2024 and ACC U19 Asia Cup the previous year, shared his thoughts on being selected by Karachi Kings, stating, “For any youngster, getting to play this league is a dream come true. I consider getting picked by Karachi Kings an achievement for myself so it was a big moment for me.
He also elaborated, “I will be part of a very experienced dressing room and I will try to improve my game as much as I can. I will ask seniors like Shoaib Malik and Keiron Pollard about their work ethic. They have played a lot of T20 cricket across the world so learning from them would be good for my future as well.”

Ubaid Shah – United
Right-arm pacer Ubaid Shah is set to join his brothers, Test cricketer Naseem Shah and first-class player Hunain Shah, at Islamabad United, enhancing the franchise's pace arsenal. Since making his debut for Pakistan U19, Ubaid Shah has proven to be a valuable asset to the team. Shedding light on the same, he said, “When I got to know that Islamabad United had picked me, I could not believe it. It is very important to me that Islamabad United put their trust in me, and I hope to reciprocate their trust by performing to the best of my ability.”
He also said, “It is very exciting that I am in the same team as both my brothers. And it is an honour to play under Shadab Bhai’s captaincy. I look forward to learning from him. HBL PSL is big tournament with some very experienced names.”

Syed Faridoun – Qalandars
Syed Faridoun, a left-arm wrist spinner, is set to don the colours of Lahore Qalandars this PSL season. As part of the franchise’s Player Development Program, Faridoun had the opportunity to represent Melbourne Stars in the 2021 Big Bash League. While Faridoun was part of the Qalandars squad in 2022 without getting game time, the aspiring young spinner expressed his hope of making his debut in the upcoming season, stating, “I want to fulfill the expectations the team and management have from me, whenever I am given a chance. Top players from around the world come to play in this league and I aspire to compete against them.”
He further expressed, “Your economy rate matters a lot in T20 cricket, so I always aim to restrict the flow of runs. I have gotten to share the dressing room with Rashid Khan in the past two years so I have learnt a lot from him.”

Faisal Akram – Sultans
The newest addition to Multan Sultan, Faisal Akram shared, “Multan is my home so it feels great that I have been picked to represent the city. If I get the chance to play, I will give my 100 per cent on the field. I am looking to end the season as the best emerging player of the season.
Multan Sultans have a great team this year. I am especially looking forward to learning from our captain Mohammad Rizwan, and foreign players like Reeza Hendricks and Dawid Malan.”

About the writer
Shahzeb Ali Rizvi is a sports aficionado with a keen eye for the intricacies of cricket and football. He can be reached at [email protected]