The player retentions for Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 were announced on Friday, November 11. One of the biggest trades ahead of the draft was Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, who has moved to Peshawar Zalmi in the supplementary round while veteran batter Shoaib Malik and youngster Haider Ali have joined the Karachi Kings. 

Also Read: Team India's schedule after T20 World Cup 2022

Lahore Qalandars is the only franchise that retained two players, Rashid Khan and Shaheen Afridi in the platinum category while all other franchises have gone for just one platinum retention. Multan Sultans, who finished at the top of the points table in the league stages last year, has retained Mohammad Rizwan in the platinum category.  

Shadab Khan has been retained in the platinum category by Islamabad United while Mohammad Nawaz finds a place in the platinum category for the Quetta Gladiators franchise. During the draft, each of the six franchises will have the Right to Match Card that will allow them to pick any player released from their roster. A total of 18 members can be picked in the squad after the draft and all eyes will be on that.

A total of 493 players, of which 29 are in the Platinum category and 81 in Diamond, from both full member and associate nations, have made themselves available for the player draft. The maximum number of foreign players to register is from England (140) while there are 60 from Sri Lanka, 43 from Afghanistan, 38 from West Indies, 28 from Bangladesh, 25 from South Africa, 14 from Australia, 11 from Zimbabwe (11), and nine from Ireland.

Complete list of retained players for PSL 2023

Islamabad United: 

Shadab Khan (Platinum)
Asif Ali (Brand Ambassador)
Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Diamond)
Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, and Hasan Ali (Gold)
Colin Munro and Paul Stirling (Silver). 

Karachi Kings: 

Haider Ali (Platinum)
Imad Wasim
Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik (Diamond)
Aamir Yamin
Mir Hamza and Sharjeel Khan (Silver)
Qasim Akram (Emerging)

Read Also: Last 5 winners of the Pakistan Super League

Lahore Qalandars: 

Rashid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum)
David Wiese (Diamond)
Abdullah Shafique (Gold)
Harry Brook and Kamran Ghulam (Silver)
Zaman Khan (Emerging)
The eighth retention is to be announced in due course. 

Multan Sultans: 

Mohammad Rizwan (Platinum)
Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, and Shan Masood (Diamond)
Shahnawaz Dahani (Brand Ambassador) and Tim David (Gold)
Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah (Emerging)

Peshawar Zalmi: 

Babar Azam (Platinum)
Sherfane Rutherford and Wahab Riaz (Diamond)
Mohammad Haris (Gold)
Aamir Jamal (Brand Ambassador)
Salman Irshad and Tom-Kohler Cadmore (Silver) 

Also Read: Most Sixes in T20 World Cup

Quetta Gladiators: 

Mohammad Nawaz (Platinum)
Iftikhar Ahmed and Jason Roy (Diamond)
Mohammad Hasnain and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Gold)
Will Smeed (Silver)
Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal (Mentor) 

T20 cricket is defined by explosive performances and relentless competition. Beyond the thrill of individual matches, the true quality of a team lies in its ability to consistently dominate the game.

Check out the most successful teams in T20 leagues around the world and their unmatched legacy in tournaments like Indian Premier League, Big Bash League, Carribbean Premier League, and more.

From the subcontinent to Australia and the Carribbean, here's the teams with highest achievements in the shortest format of cricket.

Chennai Super Kings (5 Titles) | IPL

Chennai Super Kings stand as one of the most successful franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having 5 titles to their name. Under the brilliant leadership of MS Dhoni, this team has reached the playoffs 10 times out of their 16 seasons played in the tournament.

CSK is known for adapting well in different conditions, calmness under pressure, strategic use of spin bowlers, and the deep batting line-up that balances the team. 

Iconic players like Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, and Ravichandran Ashwin were all a part of this successful franchise.

They won the 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023 IPL seasons.

Read Also: IPL Winners list of last 12 years

Mumbai Indians (5 Titles) | IPL

Sharing the top spot with 5 titles, Mumbai Indians, is another big successful team of IPL. Their journey began under the leadership of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, with Rohit Sharma leading the team to five victories in the end.

The MI franchise identifies and nurtures raw talent, transforming them into match-winners. Their success credits intelligent auction buys, strong core of retained players, and good support staffs.

They won the 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 IPL seasons.

Perth Scorchers (5 Titles) | BBL

In the Australian Big Bash League (BBL), Perth Scorchers are the undisputed champions, also with 5 titles. They are known for their consistent home dominance, making Optus Stadium in Perth a fortress, where opponents rarely win.

Players like Adam Voges, Ashton Turner, and Andrew Tye have been central figures in their success. The franchise focus on picking players who perfectly fit in their style and thrive in Australian conditions.

They won 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, 2021-22, and 2022-23 BBL seasons.

Read Also: WBBL 2021: Perth Scorchers wins maiden WBBL title

Jaffna Kings (4 Titles) | LPL

Jaffna Kings have quickly become the top team in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), winning 4 titles in a short time. Their former captain Thisara Perera and Shoaib Malik have been vital to their winning streak.

They won the inaugural season of the tournament in 2020, and moved forward with three-in-a-row wins (2021, 2022). They also won the title in 2024 season.

They form the squad with an equal balance of smart bowling and power-hitting with Sri Lankan players and impactful international stars.

Trinbago Knight Riders (4 Titles) | CPL

Trinbago Knight Riders are the most successful successful team in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), with 4 titles. The franchise is owned by the Knight Riders group, which also owns the KKR team in IPL.

Legendary players like Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine have been cornerstones of their success. Their consistently attracting and keeping strong players, along with their dominant approach for the game, makes them a truly formidable side.

The won the 2015, 2016, 2020, and 2024 CPL seasons.

Read Also: Most Fifties in T20 Cricket

Comilla Victorians (4 Titles) | BPL

In the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL),Comilla Victorians have become the leading team with 4 titles. They have won every final they played in, showing incredible success rate.

Key players like Tamim Iqbal and the exceptional captain Imrul Kayes have played major roles in their historic journey.

They won the title in 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023 BPL seasons.

Islamabad United (3 Titles) | PSL

Islamabad United stands out in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), not just for their 3 titles, but also for winning the inaugural final. Their early double titles have strengthened their presence in the tournament.

Legendary players include their former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, and more recently, the all-rounder captain Shadab Khan have notable contributions in their PSL journey.

They won 2016, 2018, and 2024 PSL seasons.

Read Also: The Greatest T20I Records That Will Stand the Test of Time

Sunrisers Eastern Cape (2 Titles) | SA20

Sunrisers Eastern Cape are the only team to have won the SA20 title 2 times. They also hold the record for most wins in a single season of the tournament (9 wins in 2024).

Owned by the Indian SUN group, which also owns SRH team in IPL, have strategically picked players who turned out to be match-winners. Outstanding bowling performances from Marco Jansen and Ottneil Baartman played a key role in their memorable victories, along with good captaincy of Aiden Markram.

They won 2023 and 2024 SA20 seasons.

T20 cricket is something that always entertains us in different modes. That's why too many T20 leagues have been played across the world. After IPL got started in 2008, the scenario changed in the world of cricket. In this article, we will take a look at the most successful franchise teams across leagues in the world.

Jaffna Kings - LPL (4 titles)

Lanka Premier League (LPL) is the latest inclusion in the T20 leagues around the world. It was inaugurated in 2020 by the Srilanka Cricket Board.

Jaffna Kings have won three back-to-back titles. They won the tournament in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Their latest triumph was in the 2024 season.

Islamabad United - PSL (3 titles)

Pakistan Super League (PSL) started back in the year 2015, and Lahore Qalandars are the current champions. Along with Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United are the most successful team in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Islamabad won three titles so far, one in 2016, 2018 and 2024. Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars won the Pakistan Super League in 2022, 2023, and 2025 seasons.

Comilla Victorians - BPL (4 titles)

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) was introduced first in 2012 by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Although Comilla Victorians did not participate in the first two seasons, with 4 titles, they are the most successful team Bangladesh Premier League. They won the tournament in 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023 and are the most successful franchise in the league.

Tribago Knight Riders - CPL (4 titles)

Caribbean Premier League (CPL) was founded by Cricket West Indies back in 2013.

The Trinbago Knight Riders are the most successful franchise team in the league. They have won the CPL trophy four times (2015, 2017, 2018 & 2020) since its beginning. They also finished as runners-up in 2023.

Interestingly, Guyana Amazon Warriors played in 7 finals and won only once so far.

Perth Scorchers - BBL (5 titles)

The Australian-based franchise league called the Big Bash League has become famous around the world. 

The Big Bash League was first introduced in 2011 by Cricket Australia. Perth Scorchers are the most successful franchise team in this league with five titles under their name.

The Scorchers have won the BBL titles in 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2021–22, and 2022–23 seasons.

Mumbai Indians & CSK - IPL (5 titles)

Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most famous and oldest T20 league in the world.

IPL was founded by the BCCI in 2008. Since then, IPL has gained so much fame around the world for being the best T20 league in the world.

The Mumbai-based franchise, Mumbai Indians, along with Chennai Super Kings, are the most successful franchise teams not just in IPL but also around the world.

Mumbai have won the IPL titles a total of 5 times (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 & 2020). Meanwhile, CSK have won the IPL in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023.

In a dramatic turn of events, overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) faced harrowing experiences due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to the indefinite postponement of the tournament.

The crisis, sparked by India’s strategic response to a terror attack in Palalgam on May 7, 2025, which claimed 26 civilian lives, left players like New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell vowing never to return to Pakistan and England’s Tom Curran in tears after a close call at the airport.

Read Also | In a first, 10 UAE batters retire out in ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025

PSL Halted Amid Regional Tensions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially planned to relocate the remaining PSL matches to the UAE after tensions escalated. However, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) rejected the proposal, leaving the PCB with no choice but to cancel the tournament.

The announcement came shortly after the BCCI postponed the IPL for a week due to the same geopolitical concerns.

Overseas players were swiftly evacuated to Dubai via charter flights, from where they caught connecting flights to their home countries. Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, part of the Lahore Qalandars squad, recounted the terrifying ordeal, revealing that the airport they departed from was struck by a missile just 20 minutes after their plane took off.

“After landing in Dubai, we heard that a missile struck the airport 20 minutes after we left. The news was scary and sorrowful, but we felt relieved to be safe in Dubai,” Rishad told Cricbuzz.

Read Also | Foreign players asked to return to their country as IPL 2025 postponed for a week due to India-Pakistan tension

Daryl Mitchell’s Vow and Tom Curran’s Distress

Rishad shared the palpable fear among foreign players, including Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran.

“Landing in Dubai, Mitchell told me he would never go to Pakistan again, especially in this kind of scenario. They were all horrified,” Rishad said.

Recounting Tom Curran’s emotional breakdown, Rishad added, “Tom went to the airport, but heard it was closed. He started crying like a little child, and it took two or three people to console him.”

Read Also | India-Pakistan War: How Indian athletes reacted to it

Family Worries and Player Anxieties

Rishad also spoke about the anxiety his family felt during the crisis. “Whenever I play, my family worries about the situation. When they heard about the bomb blasts and missile strikes in Pakistan, they were naturally tense. I tried to console them and assure them I was safe,” he said.

PCB’s Failed Attempt to Salvage the Tournament

According to Rishad, the PCB chairman attempted to convince players to continue the tournament in Karachi, downplaying the severity of the situation.

“The chairman tried to hide that there were two drone attacks the day before, which we later learned about. Almost all foreign players agreed that Dubai was the only safe option,” Rishad revealed.

The PCB eventually facilitated the players’ safe evacuation to Dubai, a move Rishad credited to the board’s efforts. “Thanks to the PCB chairman and the Pakistan Cricket Board, we reached Dubai safely by the grace of Almighty Allah,” he said.

RCB star batter Virat Kohli has passed Chris Gayle with the second most fifty plus scores in T20s. Kohli achieved this milestone during the IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. He came into the game tallying 110-fifties and struck another beautiful half-century with the bat-off just 32 balls, enabling his side to a grand start. Now at 111 fifty-plus scores, Kohli trails only David Warner, who scores a total of 117.

Let's take a look at the batters who have scored the most fifty plus scores in T20s.

Also Read: Top 5 game-changing factors that could send MI to IPL 2025 Playoffs

Most Fifty Plus Scores in T20s

4. Babar Azam | 102

Babar Azam is known as a model of consistency in T20 cricket. The brilliant right-hander has scored over 11,000 runs in his T20 career, including 91 fifties and 11 centuries, and has scored fifty plus runs a total of 102 times.

This remarkable record puts him fourth in the all-time list of most fifty plus scores in T20s, which shows his dominance and reliability in the shortest format for Pakistan in international cricket and other franchises around the world.

3. Chris Gayle | 110

The Universe Boss, Chris Gayle, is one of the prominent names to have scored the most 50+ scores in the shortest format of cricket. Arguably the first global superstar of this format, Gayle's explosive batting has made a splash in many T20 games over the years.

With a record 22 T20 centuries and 88 fifties, his record of scoring 110 fifty plus scores ranks third in T20 cricket history.

2. Virat Kohli | 111

Virat Kohli, the reigning king of the cricket world, is now second in terms of all-time T20 fifty-plus scores after another brilliant half-century in the IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals. With 111 fifty plus scores, Kohli continues to be the epitome of consistency.

From taking Team India to the T20 World Cup for years to being the heartbeat of RCB, Kohli has always performed well. Now that he is in the twilight of his career, the world is eagerly waiting to see what magic is still left in Kohli.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Fewest Innings to Reach 5000 IPL Runs

1. David Warner | 117

David Warner tops the list of fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. He has 117 fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. Warner also scored most half centuries in T20 cricket, smashing 109 fifties. The explosive left-hander from Australia has been the epitome of consistency right from his early T20 days.

Warner is always hungry for runs, whether representing Australia or leading Sunrisers Hyderabad. He’s still going strong across various leagues, and we can expect him to add even more to this record.

Indian team's star batsman Virat Kohli scored a brilliant half-century in the match against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. The former captain, who is in great form, became the first Indian to score 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. 

The Indian stalwart entered the exclusive club, which solely featured David Warner as its sole member. The former Australia star boasts a staggering 108 half-centuries in the T20 format.

Also Read: Most Wickets in 1st Over of IPL

Let's take a look at the batters with most gifties in T20 cricket.

Most Fifties in T20 Cricket

5. Jos Buttler | 86

The England batter Jos Buttler has a fantastic record in the shortest format and has featured in franchise cricket all around the world. Buttler is a part of the Gujarat Titans side in the ongoing IPL season. He has so far played 440 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a total of 12,331 runs with 8 hundreds and the highest individual score of 124.

4. Chris Gayle | 88

The explosive West Indies batter Chris Gayle has played franchise cricket all around the world and has also featured a lot for the national side in the shortest format. Gayle has played 463 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a total of 14,562 runs with 22 centuries and the highest individual score 175*.

3. Babar Azam | 90

The Pakistan batter has not only played a lot of T20 cricket for the national side, but has also featured a lot in franchise cricket. Babar has so far played 311 matches in the format, scoring a total of 11,042 runs with 11 hundreds and the highest individual score of 122.

2. Virat Kohli | 100*

The India star batter Virat Kohli scored his 100th half-century in T20 cricket during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's clash against the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. Kohli has so far played 405 matches in the format, scoring a total of 13,134 runs with 9 centuries and the highest individual score of 122*.

Also Read: Most Fifties (and over) in IPL History

1. David Warner | 108

The former Australia batter David Warner has played a total of 400 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a massive 12,925 runs. Along with a humongous number of half-centuries, Warner also has 8 centuries under his name in the format with the highest individual score of 135*.