The Pakistan Cricket Board have announced a shift from the traditional draft system to auctions for the 2026 Pakistan Super League.
The PSL had followed the draft system since its inception in 2016, and will move away from it for the first time, among many other structural changes. The provision for a right-to-match (RTM) option has been removed, while franchises will also not be able to sign mentors and brand ambassadors.
How will the player retentions work for existing franchises?
Earlier, the PSL teams were allowed to retain up to eight players, including a 'brand ambassador' and a 'mentor'. They also had the option of exercising the RTM to retain a ninth player. However, going forward, they can only retain four players, one from each category.
All eight sides will also be allowed to directly sign an overseas star each, provided the player didn’t play the 10th edition of the PSL in 2025. The likes of Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali, who chose to give IPL 2026 a miss for the PSL, could be among the direct signings.
How will the two new teams pick players?
The two new teams from Sialkot and Hyderabad will be allowed to pick and retain four players each from the available pool ahead of the auction. Like all other sides, they will also be allowed to directly sign a foreign player who didn’t play PSL 2025.
There is also an increase in the salary purse from the previous $1.2 million, with each franchise now having a cap of $1.6 million ahead of the auction.
Additional venue for league matches
Faisalabad has been added to the list of venues for the upcoming season, alongside Lahore, Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi. The PSL 2025 season is scheduled to start on March 26, with the PCB set to give further clarity on player auctions and schedule in due course.
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