Multan Sultans romped to top spot with nine wins out of ten, and they will be joined by Lahore Qalandars in the Qualifier. The loser of that game will face the first Eliminator winner, either Peshawar Zalmi or Islamabad United, for a place in the Final. The Karachi Kings, captained by Babar Azam, finished bottom with one win. Quetta Gladiators, who have one of the largest English contingents, also did not make the playoffs.

This year’s PSL has had high English representation, with 21 different players featuring thus far. They have enjoyed individual heroics, suffered challenging moments, and everything in between.

Islamabad United

Alex Hales

PSL 2022 stats: 255 runs @ 42.50, SR: 156.44, HS: 82*

Hales’ strong campaign was cut short when he pulled out of the PSL last week, citing bubble fatigue. He had impressed at the top of the Islamabad order, regularly getting his side off to fast starts alongside fellow opener Paul Stirling. The highlight came against Peshawar Zalmi, as Hales smashed an unbeaten 82 off 54 balls to help Islamabad chase 169 with over four overs to spare. Islamabad suffered in his absence, losing all three regular season games following Hales’ departure.

Liam Dawson

85 runs @ 17.00, SR: 110.38, HS: 31; 7 wickets @ 17.42, Econ: 6.59

Dawson has performed fantastically with the ball, taking at least one wicket in each of his five matches at a miserly rate. The slow left-armer finished the regular season with 3-16 from four overs against the Sultans. He has batted at high as No. 3 and as low as No. 7, with his two highest scores coming in the top four.

Karachi Kings

Joe Clarke

174 runs @ 24.85, SR: 119.97, HS: 52
Clarke showed promise towards the end of the regular season, notching scores of 52 and 40 during the final three games. However, his eight innings included three single-figure scores and at a steady but unspectacular strike-rate. Though far from the sole player responsible, Clarke’s indifferent tournament was indicative of a disappointing side.

Ian Cockbain

47 runs @ 15.66, SR: 127.02, HS: 31
After a stellar BBL campaign, Cockbain showed promise on his PSL debut, making a 19-ball 31 against Peshawar. He made just 16 runs in the next two games and was dropped for the rest of the tournament.

Lewis Gregory

70 runs @ 14.40, SR: 102.85, HS: 27; 1 wicket @ 127, Econ: 9.07
Gregory endured a tough season. Often coming in after his top order had failed, Gregory could neither score big nor quickly towards the end of his team’s innings. He returned disappointing bowling figures and was only trusted with more than two overs in half of his games. Taking 1-22 against the Gladiators and a 16-ball 27 in the sole win over the Qalandars were rare high points.

Chris Jordan

6 runs @ 2.00, SR: 85.71, HS: 5; 9 wickets @ 21, Econ: 9.45
Jordan arrived midway through the season after completing England duties in the West Indies, and his arrival failed to reverse the Kings’ fortunes. Typically bowling two of the death overs, his returns were high in both wickets and runs, though a 9.45 economy rate was a touch on the expensive side. He was a non-factor with the bat, scoring six runs off seven balls across five matches.

Tom Lammonby

4 runs @ 1.33, SR: 66.66, HS: 3

Failures in the Kings’ opening two games meant Lammonby was not seen again until the final regular season game. The left-hander got a golden duck on his return to end a difficult tournament. He was unused as a bowler.

Jordan Thompson

1 wicket @ 22.00, Econ: 11.00
Jordan Thompson tested positive for Covid-19 hours before the PSL season began and did not feature until the Kings’ seventh game against Islamabad, where he took 1-22 from two overs. He did not bowl in the subsequent encounter with Multan and was dropped for the final two games. He neither batted nor bowled in the Kings’ narrow defeat to Multan.

Lahore Qalandars

Harry Brook

208 runs @ 69.33, SR: 176.27, HS: 102*

After struggling in the BBL and with England in the Caribbean, Harry Brook confirmed his return to form with a sparkling 102 not out off 49 balls against Islamabad. Brook also passed 25 in three of his other four innings and, with the Qalandars losing Rashid Khan for the playoffs, the 22-year-old is set for enhanced responsibility during the season’s business end.

Phil Salt

60 runs @ 12.00, SR: 133.33, HS: 26*

Phil Salt has continued batting in the middle order after showing promise there for England in West Indies. His returns have been less encouraging for Lahore, with Salt’s unbeaten 26 off 13 balls his top score in seven innings. When given the chance to bat in his more familiar opening role, he scored just two and 14. Salt’s glovework has been tidy and he has made two stumpings.

Samit Patel

26 runs without dismissal, SR: 144.44, HS: 26*; 0 wickets, Econ: 15.00

Samit Patel guided the Qalandars home against the Kings with an unbeaten 26, but was not seen again for the rest of the group stage. He offers another spin option in Rashid’s absence, though he was pasted for 19 in one over against Lahore’s qualifier opponents Multan Sultans.

Multan Sultans

David Willey

28 runs without dismissal, SR: 87.50, HS: 28*; 10 wickets @ 14.30, Econ: 7.72

David Willey has played his part in Multan’s dominant regular season. The left-armer has been most effective in the powerplay and has countrymen Jason Roy, Alex Hales and Will Smeed on his list of scalps. Opportunities with the bat have been limited, but an unbeaten 28 in their last game against Islamabad provided time in the middle ahead of the playoffs.

Peshawar Zalmi

Liam Livingstone

39 runs @ 9.75, SR: 111.42, HS: 24; 2 wickets @ 56.00, Econ: 8.61
Another who arrived late from the West Indies, Liam Livingstone did not show the form that is making him millions across franchise competitions around the world. He only made double figures once in four innings and his trademark bludgeoning hits were scarce. He fared better with the ball and was going at a 7.27 economy rate before leaking 32 runs in two overs in his final game before leaving Pakistan.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore

22 runs @ 11.00, SR: 115.78, HS: 22

Kohler-Cadmore made a duck in his and Peshawar’s second match and did not feature again in the regular season.

Pat Brown

0 wickets, Econ: 8.71

Seamer Pat Brown was dropped after delivering seven wicketless overs during the first two games and has not been selected since.

Saqib Mahmood

2 wickets @ 20.50, Econ: 11.57

Fellow quick Saqib Mahmood struggled after his Caribbean tour, though his two outings came against Mohammad Rizwan’s Sultans juggernaut.

Quetta Gladiators

Ben Duckett

60 runs @ 15.00, SR: 120.00, HS: 47

Duckett made one score of note, 47 against the Sultans, before pulling out of the tournament citing bubble fatigue.

Will Smeed

240 runs @ 40.00, SR: 137.14, HS: 99

Smeed has provided either feast or famine as, despite two scores in the 90s, he is only third in the batting averages for Quetta. Still, that pair of big knocks, albeit both in defeat, reiterated the 20-year-old’s potential. Improving consistency is the next step, and he will certainly want to make a century soon after two near-misses.

Jason Roy

303 runs @ 50.50, SR: 170.22, HS: 116

Jason Roy began his season in style, smashing 116 off 57 balls as Quetta chased down 205 against a Sultans attack featuring Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rashid Khan. He was far less dominant as the Gladiators suffered three consecutive heavy defeats that cost them a playoff place, but his 82 in his final game ensured Roy finished the regular season as the tournament’s leading overseas run-scorer.

James Vince

107 runs @ 21.40, SR: 117.58, HS: 49*

Vince made three ducks in six matches and his contributions were overshadowed by compatriots Smeed and Roy. The Hampshire batter was bowled for four of his five dismissals.

Luke Wood

1 wicket @ 45.00, Econ: 11.25
Luke Wood had a difficult sole outing with the ball, but Roy’s heroics spared the left-arm quick’s blushes.