HBL PSL XI kicks off inaugural player auction in Lahore | The Express Tribune

The player auction for the 11th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) was underway in Lahore’s Expo Centre for the first time in the league’s history on Wednesday.

Unlike previous editions, where teams selected players through a draft, this year’s eight-team event will see franchises acquire players via auction.

Multan Sultans will participate under their new ownership and with a new name, “Rawalpindi,” in the tournament.

In the first lot for all-rounders, Pakistani all-rounder Faheem Ashraf was acquired by Islamabad United for Rs85 million.

Other Pakistani all-rounders, including Imad Wasim, Mohammad Junaid, Mehdi Hassan Miraz, Hussain Talat, Asif Afridi, Danish Aziz, and Mohammad Zeeshan, did not attract any bids from franchises.

In the second lot, David Warner was bought by Karachi Kings for Rs79 million. Former South African all-rounder Rilee Rossouw was acquired by Quetta Gladiators for Rs55.5 million.

Jahanzaib Sultan was purchased by Sialkot Stallions for Rs6 million. Other players, including Colin Munro, Omair Bin Yousuf, Kamran Ghulam, George Munsey, and Saud Shakeel, remained unsold.

In the third lot, Mohammad Ali was acquired by Hyderabad for Rs21.5 million.

Meanwhile, Haris Rauf returned to Lahore Qalandars for Rs76 million. England’s Chris Jordan remained unsold.

Rawalpindi buys Naseem Shah for Rs86.5 million in auction.

Karachi Kings purchased wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan for Rs32.5 million.

Meanwhile, national T20 captain Salman Ali Agha went to Karachi Kings for Rs58.5 million.

Aggressive all-rounder Sahibzada Farhan was acquired by Sialkot Stallions for Rs57 million.

Bangladesh off-spinner Rishad Hossain joined Rawalpindi for Rs30 million.

Young Pakistani spinners Mehran Mumtaz and Faisal Akram were bought by Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators for Rs12.5 million each.

Emerging young spinner Arafat Minhas joined Quetta Gladiators for Rs11 million.

Pakistani all-rounder Aamir Jamal went to Peshawar Zalmi for Rs19 million. Spinner Usama Mir was purchased by Lahore Qalandars for Rs35 million, and all-rounder Jahandad Khan was picked by Quetta Gladiators for Rs25 million.

During the event at the Expo Centre, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi presented all franchise owners with specially customised T-shirts celebrating Pakistan’s participation in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in Markhor edition as gifts.

The auction represents a major shift in the HBL PSL’s player recruitment process and is expected to add excitement and transparency to team compositions for the upcoming season.

Earlier, HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and auction process and consulted with all participants.

Base prices of the players were also revealed, and it was decided that the auction prices and minimum incremental bids would be in Pakistani rupees.

The base prices of the top bracket were set at Rs40.2 million, Rs20.2 million, Rs10.1 million and Rs6 million.

The minimum incremental bids for each base price were also decided, as follows:

Rs250,000 for bid amounts under Rs10.1 million
Rs500,000 for bid amounts under Rs20.2 million
Rs1,000,000 for bid amounts under Rs40.2 million
Rs1,500,000 for bid amounts above Rs40.2 million

According to the official statement, franchises will be permitted to bid higher than the prescribed minimum incremental bids for each base price.

Each franchise squad will comprise a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 20 players. The number of foreign players allowed in a squad will range from five to seven, depending on overall squad size. It will be mandatory for franchises to field at least three and no more than four foreign players in the playing XI.

Teams must also include a minimum of two uncapped under-23 players in their squads, with at least one required to feature in the playing XI.

Each franchise may retain a maximum of five players. Any players not retained will return to the general auction pool.

The official release further stated that each franchise will be entitled to directly sign one foreign player for HBL PSL 11 who did not feature in HBL PSL X.

To facilitate this, the franchise purse of Rs450 million may be extended to Rs500 million, inclusive of the directly signed foreign player.

The PCB will also provide financial support to assist franchises in securing elite foreign players.

This is a developing story and will be updated with further details.