Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen Make Grand PSL Entry
News Desk
Hyderabad: The official name and logo of the seventh Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise were unveiled on Saturday during a star-studded ceremony at Niaz Stadium, formally marking the team’s entry into the country’s premier T20 tournament.
The franchise, acquired by the FKS Group for Rs1.75 billion at a historic auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad last month, will compete under the name Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen.
Along with the team name, the franchise also revealed its official logo, which was later shared across its social media platforms.
“The pitch has a new ruler. The game has a new power. Presenting the Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen,” the franchise said in a statement. “Let our PSL reign begin.”
The unveiling came a day after the franchise announced the signing of five players ahead of the first-ever PSL player auction, scheduled for February 11.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/hyderabad-sialkot-join-psl-as-league-expands-to-eight-teams/
Pakistan batter Saim Ayub was signed in the Platinum category for Rs126 million, while Usman was acquired in the Diamond category for Rs46.2 million. Maaz and Akif were signed in the Emerging and Gold categories for Rs35 million and Rs19.6 million, respectively.
Australian international Marnus Labuschagne joined the Hyderabad-based side as a direct signing for an undisclosed fee.
The franchise has also strengthened its coaching staff ahead of the upcoming season by appointing former Pakistan Test head coach and former Australia all-rounder Jason Gillespie as head coach.
Grant Bradburn has been named fielding coach, Craig White assistant coach, Hanif Malik batting coach, and Zac Martin will oversee strength and conditioning.
The upcoming eleventh edition of the PSL will feature a major structural change, with the traditional player draft replaced by a player auction. The league will also expand to eight teams for the first time.
The expansion marks a significant milestone in PSL history, following the inclusion of Multan Sultans in Season 3, which increased the number of teams from five to six. With the addition of Hyderabad and Sialkot, the PSL will now feature eight competing teams.
