Josh Little was the only Ireland player picked up at the auction for next year’s Pakistan Super League which runs from February 9-March 19.

 

Little joins Paul Stirling who had already been retained from last year by his side Islamabad United but there were no takers for the eight other Ireland internationals who put their name forward for PSL23.

 

Mark Adair, captain Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany and Lorcan Tucker were all placed in the Gold category, Harry Tector and Neil Rock were priced in the Silver sector while George Dockrell was also unsold in the Diamond category.

 

But it is Little who is the new ‘must-have’ Ireland bowler by franchises around the world, his left arm pace and swing impressing at The Hundred last year and again at the T20 World Cup where he took 11 wickets; only four bowlers took more.

 

Little and Stirling have already been given permission to miss the three T20 internationals in Zimbabwe next month, to play in tournaments in South Africa and UAE respectively, but the timing of the PSL is perfect for Ireland’s two globetrotters with Ireland having no matches until they travel to Bangladesh in the third week of March.

 

Among the other players snapped up at yesterday’s PSL draft was new Pakistan spin sensation Abrar Ahmed, who took 11 wickets in the last Test match against England, and he will be a team-mate of Stirling’s while Little, who was signed by the Multan Sultans will have South Africa T20 star David Miller in his side.