A new era for Pakistan cricket has officially dawned at the Expo Centre, Lahore, as the first-ever player auction in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) kicked off today. Moving away from the traditional “draft” system, the auction model promises a more competitive and transparent squad-building process for the upcoming 11th season.
For PSL 11, franchises are navigating a sophisticated set of rules to finalize their rosters. A total of 880 players (local and international) have registered for the auction pool.
Teams must assemble a squad of at least 16 players, with a maximum limit of 21.
A 16-member squad must include at least 5 foreign players.
A 21-member squad can include up to 7 foreign players.
It is mandatory for every franchise to include at least two Under-23 (U-23) players in their squad to promote emerging talent.
Each franchise has been allocated a total purse of Rs 50.5 crore (505 million PKR). This budget covers everything from retentions and direct signings to the live bidding process.
New Teams & Franchise Shake-ups
The 2026 season marks the largest expansion in the league’s history, growing from 6 to 8 teams.
Sialkot Stallionz: Owned by OZ Developers, they enter as the most expensive franchise in history.
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Owned by the US-based FKS Group, bringing cricket to the heart of Sindh.
Rawalpindi (Formerly Multan Sultans): In a major move, Walee Technologies acquired the Multan franchise for Rs 245 crore, rebranding it and relocating the home base to Rawalpindi.
Peshawar Zalmi made headlines ahead of the auction by appointing former West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson as their new chief for PSL 11. Chairman Javed Afridi expressed confidence that Gibson’s modern tactical approach will be a game-changer for the “Yellow Storm.”
Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars CEO Atif Rana shared his excitement at the Expo Centre, stating that “PSL fever is at its peak.” He emphasized that while the team hopes to secure talent from their renowned Player Development Program (PDP), their core strength remains centered around captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“If we get our PDP players, we’ll be happy; if not, no problem. Lahore Qalandars works year-round, and we have 10 years of hard work behind us,” said Rana.
The PSL 11 tournament is scheduled to commence in March 2026. With an expanded format and a high-stakes auction currently underway, fans are bracing for what is expected to be the most lucrative and competitive season yet.
