PSL 2021: The new squads ahead of the league's resumption in Abu Dhabi

Twenty matches to go and some big names have joined the contenders

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  New Zealand's Martin Guptill has joined Karachi Kings for the resumption of the PSL in Abu Dhabi. AFP

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  Mohammad Wasim is with Multan Sultans

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  Sultan Ahmed, a left-armer from Sharjah, will be the first UAE player to play in a major franchise league when he appears for Lahore Qalandars. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Australia's Usman Khawaja walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket for 40 during play on the third day of the first Ashes cricket test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England. AFP

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  Fidel Edwards has joined Peshawar Zalmi. Getty

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  Andre Russell is back in the PSL with Quetta Gladiators. Getty

The PSL will restart on Wednesday night when Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United meet at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

The league will be played to a conclusion after its break because of the pandemic, with the remaining 20 matches due to be staged in Abu Dhabi.

What has changed since play was suspended in March? And who is the best placed to make a push for the title? We take a look at how the teams are shaping up ahead of the resumption.

Islamabad United

Last season: Sixth

Best: Champions 2016, 2018

What's new? The PSL's most successful team were shorn of two of their most powerful hitters by the rescheduling of the league, with Alex Hales and Phil Salt having to head back to the UK to play instead.

They have had troubles covering those losses, but Usman Khawaja has arrived from Australia, meaning he will get the chance to represent the city where he was born.

Squad: Shadab Khan (captain), Ahmed Saifi Abdullah, Ali Khan, Akif Javed, Asif Ali, Brandon King, Colin Munro, Fawad Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Akhlaq, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir, Umar Amin, Usman Khawaja, Zafar Gohar, Zeeshan Zameer

Karachi Kings

Last season: Champions

Best: Champions 2020

What’s new? The holders were top of the table on net run-rate when the league was suspended. They will have been displaced by the winners of Wednesday’s match by the time they return.

Their most high-profile addition during the break is New Zealand opener Martin Guptill. Where he will bat, though, is unclear given the excellence of Babar Azam and Sharjeel Khan.

Squad: Imad Wasim (captain), Abbas Afridi, Amir Yamin, Arshad Iqbal, Babar Azam, Chadwick Walton, Danish Aziz, Martin Guptill, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Haris, Thisara Perera, Najeebullah Zadran, Noor Ahmed, Qasim Akram, Sharjeel Khan, Waqas Maqsood, Zeeshan Malik

Lahore Qalandars

Last season: Runners up

Best: Runners up 2020

What's new? Potentially huge news for UAE cricket. When Shakib Al Hasan became unavailable for the remainder of the PSL because of Bangladesh duty, Lahore went looking for a new spinner.

They called up Sultan Ahmed, a left-armer from Sharjah who has served them well in the Abu Dhabi T10 in the past. If he debuts on Wednesday, he will be the first UAE player to play in a major franchise league.

Squad: Sohail Akhtar (captain), Ahmed Danyal, Ben Dunk, Callum Ferguson, Dilbar Hussain, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, James Faulkner, Maaz Khan, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Hafeez, Rashid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Seekuge Prasana, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sultan Ahmed, Tim David, Zaid Alam, Zeeshan Ashraf

Multan Sultans

Last season: First in the table, eliminated in the playoffs

Best: First in the table in 2020

What's new? No team has altered their playing staff more in the Covid-enforced intermission to the season than Multan.

From a UAE perspective, their most exciting move has been to recruit Mohammed Wasim. The batsman – who is originally from near Multan in Pakistan – is arguably the most destructive in UAE cricket, even if he has yet to debut for the national team.

Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Asif Afridi, Hammad Azam, Imran Tahir, Imran Khan Snr, Johnson Charles, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Umar, Blessing Muzarabani, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rilee Rossouw, Shahnawaz Dhani, Shan Masood, Shimron Hetmyer (partially available), Sohaib Maqsood, Sohaibullah, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Usman Qadir, Mohammed Wasim

Peshawar Zalmi

Last season: Fourth

Best: Champions 2017

What's new? The disruption created by the season's suspension might have caused stress to the HR departments of the franchises. Daren Sammy, who is the soul of the Peshawar franchise, knew exactly what to do, though.

He called up a trio of his colleagues from the Caribbean – Fabian Allen, Rovman Powell and Fidel Edwards – to fill the breach, meaning Peshawar will have plenty of firepower when the tournament restarts.

Squad: Wahab Riaz (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Amad Butt, Bismillah Khan, David Miller (partially available), Fabian Allen (partially available), Fidel Edwards (partially available), Haider Ali, Hazratullah Zazai, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Amir Khan, Mohammad Irfan Snr, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Shoaib Malik, Umaid Asif, Waqar Salamkheil

Quetta Gladiators

Last season: Fifth

Best: Champions 2019

What's new? Having Sarfaraz Ahmed's arrival in the UAE ahead of quarantining was less than ideal. And Quetta have plenty of ground to make up, as they were at the foot of the table when the league was postponed.

They do, though, have the most high profile addition to call on. Andre Russell is back in the PSL, as Quetta’s headline replacement player.

Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Abdul Nasir, Andre Russell (partially available), Arish Ali Khan, Azam Khan, Cameron Delport, Faf du Plessis, Hassan Khan, Jack Wildermuth, Jake Weatherald, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Usman Shinwari, Zahid Mahmood, Zahir Khan