Inside Lahore Qalandars’ PSL 10 Draft Strategy: Retention, Logic & Lessons from Failure

Building a championship-winning T20 franchise requires more than just big names. According to Sameen Rana, Owner and Team Director of Lahore Qalandars, it’s about creating the right core, making data-driven decisions, and deeply understanding team dynamics. In this exclusive behind-the-scenes breakdown, Sameen Rana shares the logic behind Qalandars’ draft strategy, why retention is more important than the draft, and how they balanced emotional choices with calculated decisions.

Retention Is the Real Challenge — Not the Draft

“Drafting isn’t that difficult… if you get your retentions right, 60–70% of your job is done.”
— Sameen Rana

Sameen Rana makes it clear that while fans get excited about draft day, the most critical work happens much earlier. Finalizing the 8-player retention list before the draft is, in his words, “a battle of its own.”

Why is retention so complicated?

• Overseas availability is unpredictable.
• Category constraints (Platinum, Diamond, etc.) must be balanced.
• Injuries, player form, and dressing room dynamics play a major role.

“The hardest part of the job is aligning performance with team culture. It’s not just about who scores the most runs.”
— Sameen Rana

Retention requires foresight, discipline, and the ability to say no to popular choices when they don’t serve long-term goals.

Lessons from Lahore’s Early Failures

“We were chopping and changing players too often. There was no core.”
— Sameen Rana

In the early years of the PSL, Lahore Qalandars struggled due to inconsistency and a lack of clarity in team building. The franchise learned a hard lesson: success demands patience and trust in the process.

“To build a combination, you have to sideline results and believe in your process. That takes courage.”
— Sameen Rana

This shift in mindset allowed them to move away from short-term thinking and instead invest in:

• Gradually identifying the right players
• Nurturing internal growth
• Establishing cultural and strategic alignment

The Philosophy Behind Building a Core

“The first element we look at is the player’s personality.”
— Sameen Rana

Performance is important, but personality, professionalism, and adaptability are even more crucial. Lahore Qalandars didn’t build their current core in one season — it took years of calculated additions.

“First Fakhar came, then Shaheen, Haris, Abdullah, Zaman, David, then Sikandar… It took time.”
— Sameen Rana

Each addition was made with clarity about:

• Role in the playing XI
• Value in the dressing room
• Alignment with Qalandars’ culture

“It’s not necessary that if someone scores the highest runs, he becomes part of your core.”
— Sameen Rana

Why David Warner Wasn’t Picked

“Taking David Warner was a huge temptation.”
— Sameen Rana

David Warner is one of the most destructive T20 openers in the world. But Qalandars chose not to pick him — and for good reason.

The logic:

• Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique are already settled openers.
• Warner would have caused a role overlap, not a strategic fit.
• Qalandars needed a middle-order match-winner, not another opener.

“There are plenty of openers available. But middle-order match-winners? Very limited.”
— Sameen Rana

Instead, they opted for Daryl Mitchell, whose middle-order credentials filled a key gap.

Why Kusal Perera Was Picked Over Sam Billings

“Sam Billings is the perfect Qalandars fit. But we didn’t want to risk losing him.”
— Sameen Rana

Initially, Lahore had planned to pick Sam Billings in the Diamond round. However, Sameen feared another team would snap him up. So, they shifted strategy and picked Kusal Perera, even before his manager knew he was being considered.

Why Kusal Perera?

• Strike rate over 160
• Average of 35 in T20s
• Left-handed batter
• Aggressive, fearless playing style

“Kusal makes us less dependent on Fakhar and gives us a left-right balance at the top.”
— Sameen Rana

This pick was bold, strategic, and rooted in performance data.

Why Rassie van der Dussen Wasn’t Retained

“Rassie is an absolute gem… But it was a logic call.”
— Sameen Rana

RVD is a class player and a fan favorite. But Lahore didn’t pick him in the draft, and Sameen explains why:

• RVD typically plays as an opener in leagues.
• Qalandars were focused on middle-order gaps, not top-order reinforcement.
• Daryl Mitchell was seen as a better role fit.

“If I picked him emotionally, it would go against what I’ve learned in nine years.”
— Sameen Rana

Once again, logic and team composition took priority over emotion.

PSL 2024 Campaign: What Went Wrong

“We were so relaxed after winning back-to-back titles… I didn’t even come from Canada.”
— Sameen Rana

Lahore Qalandars entered PSL 2024 with confidence — perhaps too much confidence. The team failed to address key vulnerabilities.

Key issues:

• Rashid Khan and David Wiese were unavailable.
• No backup wicketkeeper in the first few matches.
• PDP players failed to perform under pressure.

“That was a reality check for us. You can’t wing it at this level.”
— Sameen Rana

The failures prompted a renewed focus on depth, backups, and pre-draft contingency planning.

Why Haseebullah Wasn’t Picked

“I wanted Haseebullah… But Peshawar had a Right to Match.”
— Sameen Rana

Even though Sameen admired Haseebullah’s potential, Qalandars had already committed to Kusal Perera as their primary wicketkeeper.

Instead, they shifted their attention to spin options, keeping the April conditions in mind.

“In April, matches will be spin-friendly. Teams are retaining three spinners for a reason.”
— Sameen Rana

Again, it was about team balance over impulse.

Draft Strategy Is Built Over Months — Not Minutes

“You don’t sit in the draft and pick whoever you like… There’s one to two months of hard work behind it.”
— Sameen Rana

Sameen Rana emphasizes that Lahore Qalandars’ draft process is deeply strategic, data-driven, and collaborative. It involves simulations, debates, backup plans, and scenario testing.

“You have to detach emotion from logic. That’s the only way to build a lasting team.”
— Sameen Rana

This disciplined, balanced approach is what separates champions from the rest.

Key Takeaways from Sameen Rana’s PSL 10 Draft Strategy

Emotion is respected, but logic drives final decisions.

Retention decisions are more complex than draft picks.

Personality and dressing room fit are as important as performance stats.

Lahore Qalandars avoid role duplication and focus on gap-filling.

Lessons from failure are openly acknowledged and applied.