ISLAMABAD: New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell became the first pick of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 Player Draft as the two-time winners Lahore Qalandars roped him in to bolster their batting order at a ceremony in Lahore on Monday afternoon, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.
Mitchell, who has played 70 T20Is, will make his PSL debut later this year. Left-handed batter David Warner was pouched by 2020 PSL champions Karachi Kings as they made use of the second pick in the first Platinum round. Warner, with his wealth of experience including 12,727 T20 runs in 392 T20 matches, will also be among the list of notable debutants this season.
Peshawar Zalmi used the Right to Match option for Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who was picked by Quetta Gladiators. Kohler-Cadmore has represented Zalmi in the last four PSL editions. Gladiators then picked up New Zealand’s Mark Chapman, who has played 81 T20Is in his 10-year long international career and is a dual international as well.
Michael Bracewell and Matthew Short were the last two picks in the Platinum one round as they were gleaned by Multan Sultans and Islamabad United, respectively. Bracewell, an all-format player for New Zealand has played 149 T20s having scored 2,744 runs and taken 66 wickets. Short will add to Islamabad’s explosive batting line-up as they look to add a fourth PSL Trophy to their cabinet later this year.
“In the Platinum round two, Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings had two picks each. Gladiators used their Wild Card pick option to snare all-rounder Faheem Ashraf to their squad,” the PCB said in a statement.
“Aggressive Kiwi opening batter Finn Allen was the other player Quetta picked in this round. Allen, 25, has played 47 T20Is for New Zealand and scored 1,141 runs with the help of two centuries and at a strike rate of 158.69.”
Karachi Kings strengthened their pace arsenal as they went for Adam Milne as their first pick of the Platinum two round and followed it up by using Wild Card on Mohammad Abbas Afridi.
Milne will bring in extra pace to PSL 2025 along with his experience of 186 T20s in which has bagged 213 wickets at an average of 23.61. On the other hand, Abbas Afridi, who will now ply his trade for the Kings, was the leading wicket taker – 23 wickets, for Multan Sultans in PSL 2023 and also became part of the team of the tournament.
The Diamond round of picks saw Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars bag quality overseas talent in the form of Corbin Bosch, Jason Holder and Kusal Perera. Bosch was picked by Zalmi, Holder by United and Perera by Qalandars.
Peshawar Zalmi topped up their pace stocks by picking Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana in the Gold category round one. Rana, 22, has impressed one and all with his express pace in his brief international career.
In the same category, Islamabad United picked Aussie left-arm fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis, who has bagged 176 T20 wickets at an average of 22 in 140 games. He will join his fellow countrymen Riley Meredith and Short on the United roster for PSL 2025.
“In the Silver category round three Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain was picked up by Qalandars. In a first, United States of America’s (USA) Andries Gous made it to the HBL PSL 2025 and he will turn up for Islamabad United,” the statement read.
“Multan Sultans added Irish pacer Josh Little and West Indies’ spinner Gudakesh Motie to their side during this round.”
In the supplementary round one, Kane Williamson was picked by Karachi Kings, who will join his New Zealand teammate Milne. He will be one of the notable overseas signings for Kings along with Mohammad Nabi, David Warner and Litton Das. Johnson Charles, Tom Curran, Kusal Mendis and pacer Alzarri Joseph were bagged by Sultans, Qalandars, Gladiators, and Zalmi, respectively in the supplementary round one.
In the round two, Sam Billings was snared by Qalandars who used Right to Match card against defending champions Islamabad United, who later picked up Rassie van der Dussen. Quetta Gladiators made a strong pick as they bagged Australia’s Sean Abbott adding more pace and batting firepower to their line-up. Shai Hope was picked by Sultans while Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi will return to Karachi Kings this year.
Shoaib Malik will feature in his tenth consecutive PSL edition as he was picked up by Quetta Gladiators in the Supplementary round three. Among the two Emerging rounds of picks, notable selections were made. Batting prodigy Hasan Nawaz went to Gladiators’ roster, while talented Maaz Sadaqat was picked up by Zalmi.
Saad Masood the right-arm leg-spinner, who can bat as well and made headlines in the recent Champions T20 Cup in Rawalpindi, found home in Islamabad United and will be marshalled by Shadab Khan himself. Hunain Shah returns to Islamabad United while Ubaid Shah was picked up by Multan Sultans.
FINAL SQUADS
Islamabad United: Matthew Short, Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan (all Platinum), Imad Wasim (mentor) and Azam Khan, Jason Holder (both Diamond), Ben Dwarhuis, Salman Irshad, Salman Ali Agha (Brand Ambassador) and Haider Ali (all Gold), Andries Gous, Colin Munro, Muhammad Nawaz and Rumman Raees (all Silver), Hunain Shah, Saad Masood (both Emerging)
Supplementary – Riley Meredith and Rassie van der Dussen
Multan Sultans: Michael Bracewell, Mohammad Rizwan and Usama Mir (all Platinum), David Willey (mentor), Iftikhar Ahmed (Brand Ambassador) and Usman Khan (all Diamond), Chris Jordan, Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Hasnain (all Gold), Akif Javed, Gudakesh Motie, Josh Little, Faisal Akram and Tayyab Tahir (all Silver), Ubaid Shah and Shahid Aziz (both Emerging)
Supplementary – Johnson Charles, Muhammad Amir Barki, Shai Hope and Yasir Khan
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all Platinum), Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Haris (all Diamond), Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat and Nahid Rana (all Gold), Arif Yaqoob, Najeebullah Zadran, Max Bryant, Mehran Mumtaz and Sufyan Moqim (Brand Ambassador) (all silver), Ali Raza and Maaz Sadaqat (both Emerging)
Supplementary – Ahmed Daniyal and Alzarri Joseph
Quetta Gladiators: Faheem Ashraf, Finn Allen and Mark Chapman (Platinum), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir (mentor) and Rilee Rossouw (all Diamond), Akeal Hosein, Saud Shakeel (Brand Ambassador) and Mohammad Wasim Jr. (all Gold), Haseebullah Khan, Khawaja Muhammad Nafay, Kyle Jamieson, Khurram Shahzad and Usman Tariq (all Silver), Mohammad Zeeshan and Hasan Nawaz (both Emerging)
Supplementary – Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis, Sean Abbott and Shoaib Malik
Karachi Kings: Adam Milne, David Warner and Mohammad Abbas Afridi (all Platinum), Hasan Ali and James Vince, Khushdil Shah (all Diamond), Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Shan Masood (all Gold), Arafat Minhas (Brand Ambassador), Litton Das, Mir Hamza, Tim Seifert and Zahid Mehmood (all Silver), Fawad Ali and Riazullah (Emerging)
Supplementary – Kane Williamson, Mohammad Nabi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Mirza Mamoon
Lahore Qalandars: Daryl Mitchell, Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi (all Platinum), Haris Rauf (Brand Ambassador), Kusal Perera and Sikandar Raza (all Diamond), Abdullah Shafique, Jahandad Khan and Zaman Khan (all Gold), Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, David Wiese, Muhammad Akhlaq and Rishad Hossain (all Silver), Mohammad Azab and Momin Qamar (both Emerging)
Supplementary – Mohammad Naeem, Sam Billings, Salman Ali Mirza and Tom Curran
Warner, Williamson, Joseph and Mitchell to make debut in Pakistan Super League 2025
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Warner, Williamson, Joseph and Mitchell to make debut in Pakistan Super League 2025
- All six franchises assembled their squads at the glittering PSL 2025 Player Draft ceremony on Monday
- PSL 2025 is scheduled to take place between April 8 and May 19, with 116 players from 10 countries
Pakistan PM calls for strategy to equip youth for global job market
- Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan’s future is linked to the development of the information technology sector
- Government will soon launch a digital youth hub to provide information on employment to young people
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called for a comprehensive strategy to equip Pakistan’s youth with professional skills tailored to international job markets while chairing a meeting on youth employment and skill development in Islamabad.
Estimates suggest that approximately 64 percent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30, offering a significant opportunity to drive economic growth through a young workforce contributing to entrepreneurship, innovation and diversification.
However, this youth bulge also poses challenges, including high unemployment rates, limited access to quality education and vocational training and the risk of social unrest due to underutilized potential.
The government, striving to stabilize the economy, has actively sought both domestic and foreign investment while engaging friendly nations, particularly in the Gulf region, to provide employment opportunities for young Pakistanis, especially in the field of information technology.
“It is essential to equip the youth with professional skills to increase employment opportunities,” Sharif was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office after he chaired a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program.
“Pakistan’s future is linked to the development of the IT sector,” he continued while directing the formation of a strategy aligned with the demands of the markets in friendly countries to provide overseas employment to young Pakistanis.
The prime minister emphasized the government’s focus on promoting the private sector to address domestic unemployment.
“The government is actively working on a policy to promote the private sector and address unemployment in the country,” he said.
He also called for action against fraudulent and unlicensed companies offering overseas employment, noting the need for stricter regulation to protect workers.
During the meeting, Sharif was briefed on the upcoming launch of the Prime Minister Digital Youth Hub, a platform designed to provide information on employment and other services to young people.
He directed the platform be made user-friendly and available not only in English but also in Urdu and other regional languages.
Trump look-alike sings to sell pudding in Pakistan
- Bagga, 53, sports distinctive blond quiff because of his albinism that makes him resemble Trump
- Residents of eastern Sahiwal say they take selfies with Bagga, tell people they met US president-elect
SAHIWAL, Pakistan, In a bustling market in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, a food vendor who locals say bears an uncanny resemblance to US President-elect Donald Trump gets more business — and attention — than others.
“We feel as if Trump has come here to sell kheer (pudding),” said Mohammad Yaseen, a local resident who prefers to buy the dessert from Saleem Bagga, the look-alike vendor who also sings to draw customers.
“When he sings to sell kheer, we come down to him,” Yaseen said.
Bagga, 53, pushes his colorful wooden cart along the road delivering the milky pudding, a black jacket over his beige shalwar kameez tunic to keep out the winter cold.
A crowd gathers as Bagga, who sports a distinctive blond quiff because of his albinism, sings the lyrics to a Punjabi song: “Now you come down to me my love, don’t delay, my eyes are tired of waiting.”
Local resident Imran Ashraf takes a selfie with Bagga. “His kheer is really delicious ... we talk to him and we take selfies with him and we tell our friends that we have taken these pictures with Trump,” Ashraf said.
Bagga is unfazed by the stream of attention and cameras that follow him throughout the market and even in his home neighborhood in the district of Sahiwal.
“My face resembles Donald Trump, that is why people take selfies with me...I feel very good,” he said, before extending an invitation.
“Donald Trump sahib (sir), you have won the election, now visit here and eat my kheer, you will really enjoy it,” he said.
Pakistan PM hopes new border crossing with Iran will boost legal trade, curb smuggling
- Pakistan and Iran have tried to boost trade by setting up border markets, implementing barter system
- International sanctions on Iran have hampered economic collaboration between the two countries
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed hope a newly inaugurated border crossing between Pakistan and Iran in Panjur would encourage legal trade between the two neighboring states and help curb smuggling, which has long plagued the region.
Pakistan and Iran have intensified efforts in recent years to expand bilateral trade by establishing border markets and implementing barter trade mechanisms.
In April last year, Iran’s late President Ebrahim Raisi described the existing trade volume between the two countries as “not acceptable” during his visit to Pakistan. He said his government had agreed with Islamabad to boost bilateral trade to $10 billion within the foreseeable future.
In the absence of adequate formal trade, smuggling has become a significant issue along the porous 959-kilometer border, where local communities on both sides often rely on the illicit trade of goods, particularly Iranian fuel.
“A new crossing has been inaugurated at the Pakistan-Iran border in Panjgur, which will promote legal trade and help curb smuggling,” Sharif said during a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, referring to the new opening this month in the Kohak-Cheedgi area of Panjgur. “I thank our brotherly country Iran for their full cooperation in this regard.”
International sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, have significantly hampered economic collaboration between the two countries. This is particularly evident in the shape of the stalled Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. While Iran completed its section in 2011, Pakistan halted construction due to fears of US sanctions, stalling a project that could have alleviated Pakistan’s energy shortages.
According to the Institute for Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis, a local think tank in Islamabad, trade between the two countries has also suffered owing to the same reason.
Iran’s exports to Pakistan were approximately $1.4 billion in 2022, while Pakistan’s exports to Iran stood at $842.8 million.
The think tank also says Iran’s exports to Pakistan have grown at an annual rate of 13.5 percent over the past 24 years, whereas Pakistan’s exports to Iran have declined by up to 44 percent annually.
During Raisi’s visit, both sides signed memoranda of understanding and agreements covering fields such as trade, science, technology, agriculture, health and culture.
The visit was also seen as a step toward mending fences between the two nations, which had experienced strained ties following unprecedented tit-for-tat missile strikes earlier that year.
Pakistan’s first Sindhi feature film in decades to premiere at Jaipur film festival this month
- “Indus Echoes” explores relationship between humans and Indus River with five stories
- Feature film to be screened at Rajasthan Adult Education Association in Jaipur on Jan. 21
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first Sindhi-language film in nearly three decades, “Indus Echoes” or “Sindhu Ji Goonj” will have its international premiere next week at the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) on Jan. 21.
The film is directed and produced by Pakistani journalist-turned-filmmaker, Rahul Aijaz, who told Arab News in August last year that the Indus River served as inspiration for the film. The river fascinated Aijaz for a long time as it served as a “major symbol” of the Sindhi culture, he said.
According to its synopsis, the film explores the relationship between humans and the Indus River through five stories set on, across and around the Indus. The film is a collaboration between Pakistan’s Film N’ Chips Media Productions,
Shaam Films and South Korea’s Big Meta Films. It stars Sindhi-speaking actors, Vajdaan Shah and Ansaar Mahar, in addition to Samina Seher in key roles. Renowned actor Shamoon Abbasi serves as executive producer of the film.
“GOOD NEWS! Our Sindhi language feature film “Sindhu ji Goonj” (Indus Echoes) has been selected for the Jaipur International Film Festival in India,” Aijaz wrote on his Facebook profile on Dec. 21. “We will be having the international premiere in Jaipur next month.”
While JIFF is scheduled to kick off on Jan. 17, the Sindhi feature film will be screened at the Rajasthan Adult Education Association in Jaipur on Jan. 21.
Pakistan reportedly released its first-ever Sindhi film, ‘Umar Marvi,’ in 1956, while the country saw the release of its last Sindhi film, ‘Himmat,’ in 1997. Since then, only a few Sindhi telefilms and short films have been produced, but no
Sindhi feature film, which averages between 75 and 210 minutes, was made in the South Asian country.
In 2020, Aijaz also produced a short Sindhi-language film called, ‘A Train Crosses the Desert,’ which was screened in four countries, including at JIFF (2021) in India and the South Asian International Film Festival (2020) in the US.
In moving gesture, Coldplay’s Chris Martin invites Pakistani fan onstage at Abu Dhabi concert
- Chris Martin dedicates band’s popular song ‘Everglow’ to people in West Bank, Gaza, Pakistan and Iran
- Coldplay, one of the most influential pop-rock acts since late ‘90s, is known for vibrant concerts, fan interactions
ISLAMABAD: British rock band Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin recently won admiration on social media for inviting a Pakistani fan onstage during their Abu Dhabi concert and dedicating their popular song ‘Everglow’ to people suffering war in Palestine and other countries.
Coldplay performed at Abu Dhabi on Jan. 9, returning to the UAE to perform for the first time since their powerhouse show at Expo 2020 Dubai. While entertaining thousands of fans in the crowd, Martin spotted a female fan holding a sign that read, “I traveled 10,000 km for this.”
Inviting her onstage, he asked where she’d come from, to which the woman named Kinza replied: “Pakistan.”
Martin responded that he had traveled from Los Angeles where “everything was on fire,” adding that it was very strange to witness.
“So maybe we can sing this song for your brothers and sisters in Pakistan,” he said to loud cheers from thousands of fans. “And our brothers and sisters in Iran. Our brothers and sisters in the West Bank and Gaza. You can sing.”
He then proceeded to perform the band’s popular song Everglow, much to the delight of the attendees.
Coldplay remains one of the most influential pop-rock acts since the late ‘90s. With guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion filling out the lineup, the British musicians have long been fixtures on the charts with Hot 100 hits 2001’s “Yellow,” 2008’s “Viva La Vida,” and 2017’s “Something Just Like This.”
The band’s concert in Abu Dhabi was a visual and auditory spectacle, with fans wearing glowing wristbands that pulsed in sync with the music. There were bursts of confetti, large, illuminated planets suspended throughout the stadium where the concert was held, and balloons floating across the crowd during the band’s performance.
Coldplay are scheduled to perform in the UAE capital today, Jan. 14 as well.
