← Back to Feed
PSL Mega Earthquake: Mohammad Rizwan Released By Multan Sultans! Babar Azam & Shaheen Afridi Retain Platinum Throne

Feb 04, 2026 • 3:17 PM • 4 min read

PSL Mega Earthquake: Mohammad Rizwan Released By Multan Sultans! Babar Azam & Shaheen Afridi Retain Platinum Throne

Cricket News Update

PSL retentions ka drama shuru ho chuka hai, aur yeh season shuru hone se pehle hi ek proper Earthquake le aaya hai! Cricket ke pandits aur fans, sab hairan hain. Jab sab bade naam — Babar Azam aur Shaheen Shah Afridi — apni Platinum Dominance barkarar rakh rahe the, tab ek team ne aisa move chala jo kisi ne expect nahi kiya tha. Ji haan, hum baat kar rahe hain Multan Sultans ki, jinhone apne captain, apne pillar, the ever-consistent Mohammad Rizwan ko hi release kar diya!

🤯 The Rizwan Shockwave: Sultans Ka Unfiltered Gamble

Yeh koi chhoti baat nahi hai. Multan Sultans were the *only* team in the league who decided to retain zero players. Z-E-R-O. Iss Masterstroke ko dekhkar lag raha hai ki Sultans management ya toh koi bada Prophecy follow kar raha hai, ya phir unhone Mohammad Rizwan ko auction mein wapas kharidne ka high-stakes gamble chala hai. Rizwan, jo T20 circuit mein consistency ka dusra naam hain, unka release hona ne seedha-seedha sawaal khada kar diya hai: Is this a financial play, or a complete strategy reset? This move has set the tone for the upcoming auction, which will be the first ever in PSL history on February 11.

Baaki teams ne toh jaisa expected tha, apni core strength ko pakad ke rakha hai. The Platinum club remains elite:

  • Babar Azam continues to lead the charge for Peshawar Zalmi.
  • The menacing left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi remains the heartbeat of Lahore Qalandars.
  • Captain Cool Shadab Khan stays put at Islamabad United.
  • The mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed is rewarded with a Platinum spot by Quetta Gladiators, signalling their faith in spin power.
  • And veteran pacer Hasan Ali secures his Platinum place at Karachi Kings.
Zalmi, Qalandars, Gladiators, and Kings have retained four players each, while United, surprisingly, retained only three.

💰 Auction Dynamics, New Teams, Aur Strategic Retentions

The retention strategies reveal the mindset of the franchises. Quetta Gladiators are focusing on turning the pitch into a spin paradise, retaining two high-quality spinners: Abrar Ahmed (Platinum) and Usman Tariq (Diamond). Their selection of youngsters Hasan Nawaz (Gold) and Shamyl Hussain (Emerging) shows a long-term vision.

Lahore Qalandars, after securing Afridi, made shrewd overseas choices by keeping Sikandar Raza (Gold) who has been a Gamechanger in recent tournaments. Islamabad United played a massive surprise by not retaining any player in the Emerging category, but brought in USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous (Silver), showing an interesting geographic expansion in their recruitment.

The financial setup is equally crucial. Har franchise ke paas PKR 450 million (USD 1.6 million) ka auction purse hai, jisko direct signings accommodate karne ke liye PKR 505 million tak extend kiya ja sakta hai. Aur new teams ki baat karein toh, Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad will announce their retentions by February 7. But Stallionz have already made headlines, becoming the first team to use the direct signing provision, bringing in none other than Australian run-machine Steven Smith! Yeh move toh seedha-seedha league ki valuation badha dega.

🎯 Key Retention Facts & Figures (The Blueprint)

  • Total Purse: Each franchise has PKR 450 million (USD 1.6 million).
  • Contract Length: All players, whether retained or auctioned, receive a two-year contract.
  • Squad Strength: Teams can sign 16 to 20 players, ensuring 5-7 overseas slots and at least one local U-23 player new to the PSL.
  • Karachi Kings: Retained four, including Abbas Afridi (Diamond) and Khushdil Shah (Gold) alongside Hasan Ali.
  • Peshawar Zalmi: Retained Babar Azam (Platinum), supported by Sufiyan Muqeem (Diamond) and Abdul Samad (Gold).
  • The Big Miss: Multan Sultans released captain Mohammad Rizwan and zero other players, ensuring they have the maximum purse available for the auction.

💡 The Guru Gyan Verdict:

Multan Sultans are playing 4D chess, aur yeh sabse bada risk hai jo kisi franchise ne liya hai. Rizwan ki value Platinum se bhi upar hai, but Sultans know that auction format mein they get a clean slate aur maybe they aim to build a completely new squad around a different philosophy. However, letting go of a proven leader and match-winner like Rizwan is an Unfiltered message: No player is indispensable. For the new franchises and the existing teams, the auction is now a free-for-all war zone, thanks to Multan's bold move. The PSL has truly initiated its era of Mega Change.

Stay tuned to The Guru Gyan for more unfiltered cricket masala!