The reigning champions of the 2020 Pakistan Super League (PSL), Karachi Kings, have revealed Shan Masood as their captain for the upcoming ninth edition of the tournament. The announcement was made by Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal ahead of the PSL Draft in Lahore.

Salman Iqbal stated, “Shan Masood will lead the Karachi Kings this year. He is the captain of our Test team but has also captained many teams, including Multan Sultans and Yorkshire. We believe our captain should be from Karachi.”

In a strategic move a few days prior, Karachi Kings secured the services of Pakistan’s new Test captain, Masood, through a trade deal with Multan Sultans, which involved parting ways with spinner Faisal Akram. With the departure of all-rounder Imad Wasim, the Kings sought the experienced leadership of Masood to fill the captaincy role.

Simultaneously, Karachi Kings appointed Phil Simmons as their head coach for PSL 9. Known for his dual role as a star player and triumphant coach of the West Indies during the 2016 T20 World Cup, Simmons brings a wealth of experience and strategic prowess to the Karachi Kings camp.

Shan Masood is now set to lead the Kings in the upcoming ninth season, where the Karachi-based franchise aims to secure its second PSL title.

The recent days have witnessed significant changes, with players such as Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Naseem Shah making unexpected team switches. The Kings, notably, traded their captain and last season’s player of the tournament, Wasim, for Ali from Islamabad United.

It’s worth noting that the PCB released the list of all players acquired by the six franchises earlier, with several big and important names not being acquired by their respective teams.