Ranking PSL 2024 teams ahead of the new season

The ninth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to get underway, with two-time defending champions Lahore Qalandars taking on Islamabad United in the opener on February 17.

Renowned as one of the world's best T20 leagues, the PSL is sandwiched between the SA20 and the IPL in a battling to maintain its significance. The tournament will also offer the Pakistan fans much-needed joy following a challenging few months for the national side.

After reaching the pinnacle of white-ball cricket by reaching the 2022 T20 World Cup final and the No.1 ODI ranking last year, Pakistan have had a dip in form in recent time. The Men in Green failed to qualify for the Asia Cup final and followed that up with a dismal showing in the ODI World Cup, finishing fifth in the ten-team race.

Even after a flurry of changes to their leadership core, the side continued their struggle in their recent Trans-Tasmanian tour, losing the Test series to Australia 0-3 and the T20I affair to New Zealand 1-4.

With the T20 World Cup starting in June, the PSL offers key players a chance to get into the short format rhythm and an opportunity for youngsters to stake a claim in the national side.

As the tournament nears its commencement, let us rank the six participating teams of the 2024 PSL season.

#6 Karachi Kings

The Karachi Kings have suffered arguably the worst fall from their first six PSL seasons to the last two. After qualifying for the playoffs and winning a title in the opening six PSL editions, the side finished at the bottom and second-to-bottom in 2022 and 2023.

After a one-win-nine-loss season in 2022, the Kings managed a 3-7 record last year, avoiding a bottom-placed finish again on net run rate. The off-season trade of Imad Wasim for Hasan Ali and the acquisition of Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood in another trade aside, the side also added West Indian veteran Kieron Pollard in the draft for the upcoming season.

Other additions include Mohammad Nawaz, Daniel Sams, and Tim Seifert, among others, but the franchise will also be without Imran Tahir, Matthew Wade, and Mohammad Amir from last year's squad.

Karachi will also have availability issues in the form of South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi and England all-rounder Jamie Overton. While the former will miss the second half of the season, the latter will miss the entire tournament.

With no substantial improvement in the squad compared to the other teams and the unavailability of crucial pieces, new skipper Shan Masood has his task cut out to propel the Kings into the top half of the points table.

#5 Quetta Gladiators

Quetta Gladiators have been inarguably the worst of the six franchises over the past four PSL seasons. They finished at the bottom of the points table last year, with only three wins in ten games.

Adding to the drama is the removal of long-time captain Sarfaraz Ahmed at his discretion only days before the start of the tournament. Under the veteran wicket-keeper, the Gladiators qualified for the final in three of the first four seasons and triumphed in 2019.

However, they have finished in the bottom two and missed the playoffs in all four seasons since the 2019 glory. South African Rilee Rossouw has been appointed the new skipper for the upcoming season after being acquired for Iftikhar Ahmed in a trade. The southpaw was the leading run-scorer with 453 runs in 11 games last year.

Another dagger blow to their chances came with Sri Lankan Wanindu Hasaranga's absence for the season. They also traded ace pacer Naseem Shah for veteran Mohammad Amir and acquired West Indian Sherfane Rutherford in the draft.

Some minor additions like Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Wasim make them slightly better balanced than the Karachi Kings. Yet, it would be surprising to see the Gladiators not miss the playoffs for a fifth successive season.

#4 Islamabad United

Islamabad United have been a perennial contender for the PSL title since the tournament's existence. They triumphed in the inaugural edition in 2016 and emerged victorious again in 2018.

However, they have endured a dry patch since despite qualifying for the playoffs in four of the five seasons. The franchise finished third last year, making it a hat trick of playoff appearances without reaching the final.

With an astute captain-coach combination of Shadab Khan and Mike Hesson, the side should be in the running for another top-four finish. Their eye-popping off-season move was the acquisition of speedster Naseem Shah, yet the loss of the impressive Mohammad Wasim could neutralize things.

They also traded Hasan Ali, who impressed last season, for the all-around prowess of Imad Wasim.

Overall, they wear the look of a balanced outfit with several blue-collar players but lack the punch likely needed to go all the way and lift the trophy.

#3 Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi has been another middle-of-the-pack yet consistent franchise with the odd peak to show for. They are the only side in PSL history to never miss the playoffs.

However, the PSL franchise has only one title while suffering defeat in three other finals. High on popularity, thanks to being captained by star batter Babar Azam, Peshawar acquired the Afghanistan duo of Noor Ahmed and Naveen-Ul-Haq to bolster their bowling. However, the duo pulling out of the competition could be detrimental to their chances.

South African pacer Lungi Ngidi was another valuable addition until he recently withdrew from the tournament.

Aamer Jamal's all-round heroics in the recent tour of Australia and Saim Ayub's push to cement himself as the Pakistan T20I opener augurs well for Peshawar.

Skipper Babar Azam will hold the key at the top of the order, finishing as the second-leading scorer last year, and T20 specialists like Rovman Powell, Asif Ali, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore provide the much-needed middle-order impetus.

Overall, the side looks among the best in the competition, even if a few gasping holes could lead to them falling just short of the ultimate glory.

#2 Lahore Qalandars

Splitting between the top and the second-ranked team for the 2024 PSL season was a challenge equivalent to choosing between eyes.

Led brilliantly by Shaheen Afridi, Lahore Qalandars has won back-to-back PSL titles over the past two seasons after qualifying for the playoffs only once in the first six editions.

However, the absence of Rashid Khan as he continues his recovery from injury could ultimately prove to be the difference between them winning a hat trick of titles and falling just short. The Afghanistan spinner was the third leading wicket-taker in their title run last year, with 20 scalps in 11 outings.

The hole could be further deep, considering their slightly weak spin-bowling arsenal.

Nevertheless, the franchise adopted an 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' policy in the off-season and will field an almost identical lineup from last year.

It is hard to bet against the Qalandars three-peating in the upcoming season, yet the rarity of it occurring in the T20 format means they may fall just short of doing the unthinkable.

#1 Multan Sultans

Multan Sultans have fallen agonizingly short of winning the PSL title over the past two seasons, including a one-run defeat to the Lahore Qalandars last year.

However, they have reached the final in three consecutive editions since 2021, making them arguably the most consistent side of the competition. Much like Lahore, the Sultans have retained the core of their local roster and made adequate replacements for the overseas players.

The loss of Tim David, David Miller, and Kieron Pollard is likely to be navigated by the smart acquisitions of Dawid Malan, David Willey, and Reeza Hendricks. Captained by the in-form Mohammad Rizwan, who finished as the leading run-scorer last season, the side also traded for finisher Iftikhar Ahmed for Rilee Rossouw.

Multan Sultans boasted the top two leading wicket-takers last season in Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah, but the latter's injury could be a massive dent to their chances. English left-arm pacer Reece Topley was another wily buy in the draft, but he has also been ruled out with injury.

However, T20 specialist Chris Jordan's addition should help overcome the dual losses.

More than the tangibles, the Sultans will be motivated by the heartbreaking endings in the last two seasons and will be buoyed to make it third time lucky in the PSL 2024 edition.