Pakistan Super League to hold first-ever player auction on February 11

By Staff Reporter

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would be held on February 11, marking a major shift from the previous draft system to an auction model for the country’s premier cricket league.

The PCB said in a statement that the auction would take place on Wednesday, February 11, following a detailed workshop held earlier in the day at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The workshop, presided over by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, was attended by representatives from all eight franchises, PSL officials and members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, according to the statement.

During the session, PCB management presented a comprehensive overview of the retention and auction processes, and consulted with participants on the mechanics involved. “The HBL PSL Player Auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February,” the PCB stated. The board specified that auction prices and minimum incremental bids for players would be in Pakistani rupees. It set the base prices for the top brackets at Rs42 million, Rs22 million, Rs11 million and Rs6 million.

The minimum incremental bids were outlined as follows: Rs250,000 for bid amounts under Rs11 million; Rs500,000 for bid amounts under Rs22 million; Rs1 million for bid amounts under Rs42 million; and Rs1.5 million for bid amounts above Rs42 million. “The franchises are free to bid higher than the above mentioned minimum incremental bid for each base price,” the PCB added.

On squad composition, the statement said each franchise would have a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20, with the number of foreign players ranging from five to seven depending on the overall squad size. It would be mandatory for teams to include a minimum of three and a maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI.

In addition, franchises must have at least two uncapped Under-23 players in the squad, with one required in the playing XI. The PCB said players retained or selected in the HBL PSL 11 auction would sign two-year contracts with their respective teams. “After the HBL PSL 11, the franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament,” it said. “Following the HBL PSL 12, there shall be a grand auction whereby each franchise is allowed a maximum of five retentions. Any released player will return to the player auction pool.”

Franchises would also be allowed to directly sign one foreign player for the upcoming season who did not participate in the previous edition. The team purse was set at Rs450 million, extendable to Rs505 million to accommodate directly signed foreign players. “The PCB will also contribute towards the procurement of elite foreign players,” the board said. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi described the move to an auction model as a significant development. “The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive,” he said.

The forthcoming PSL season will include two new franchises, Hyderabad and Sialkot, bringing the total number of teams to eight. The 11th edition is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3, 2026.