LAHORE – Over 879 players from across the globe waited for their names to be called. For the first time in PSL history, the league had swapped its traditional draft for an open auction, giving franchises the power to bid freely, chase stars, and rewrite their destinies.
With two new teams entering the fray and top international names on the line, every moment promised drama, every bid whispered ambition, and every cheer hinted at the triumphs that awaited in the thrilling season ahead.
Lahore is buzzing as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 launches its first-ever players’ auction, a dramatic shift from the draft system that dominated the league for a decade. For the first time since 2016, franchises are free to bid openly for players, creating the perfect stage for high-stakes showdowns and jaw-dropping deals.
The excitement is further amplified as PSL expands with two new franchises Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen, joining the fray. A staggering 879 local and foreign cricketers have thrown their names into the auction, divided into five elite categories: Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Emerging. Eight franchises now have the chance to assemble their dream squads with a maximum purse of USD 1.6 million, sparking intense bidding wars.
PSL 11 Players Auction
- Teams can retain up to four players, but only one per category.
- New franchises may select four from released players to jumpstart their squads.
- Retention costs are deducted from a PKR 45 crore salary cap.
Squad Composition:
- 16–20 players per squad.
- Foreign player limits: 16-player squads = 5, 17–20-player squads = 6.
- At least two uncapped U23 local players are mandatory.
Base Prices & Bidding:
- Platinum: PKR 4.2 crore, Diamond: PKR 2.2 crore, Gold: PKR 1.1 crore, Silver/Emerging: PKR 60 lakh
- Minimum bid increments range from PKR 2.5 lakh to 15 lakh, depending on base price.
Wicketkeepers:
- Haseebullah Khan (Lahore, 1.1 Cr), Khawaja Nafay (Quetta, 6.5 Cr), Mohammad Haris (Peshawar, 2.2 Cr), Kusal Perera (Hyderabad, 3.1 Cr)
Bowlers:
- Ubaid Shah (Lahore, 2.7 Cr), Mohammad Amir (Rawalpindi, 5.4 Cr), Khurram Shahzad (Islamabad, 2.7 Cr)
Batters:
- Max Bryant (Islamabad, 1.95 Cr), Daryl Mitchell (Rawalpindi, 8.05 Cr), Fakhar Zaman (Lahore, 7.95 Cr)
All-rounders:
- Salman Ali Agha (Karachi, 5.85 Cr), Jahandad Khan (Quetta, 2.5 Cr), Usama Mir (Lahore, 3.5 Cr), Arafat Minhas (Quetta, 1.1 Cr), Aamir Jamal (Peshawar, 1.9 Cr)
Top Bowlers & Spinners:
- Naseem Shah (Rawalpindi, 8.65 Cr), Haris Rauf (Lahore, 7.6 Cr), Faisal Akram (Quetta, 1.25 Cr), Rishad Hossain (Rawalpindi, 3 Cr)
High-profile Signings:
- David Warner (Karachi, 7.9 Cr), Rilee Rossouw (Quetta, 5.5 Cr), Faheem Ashraf (Islamabad, 8.5 Cr)
Special Wicketkeepers:
- Sahibzada Farhan (Sialkot, 5.7 Cr), Azam Khan (Karachi, 3.25 Cr)
Franchises were allowed four retentions instead of eight, leveling the field for the new teams. PSL 11 also introduced direct signings, letting teams lock in international stars ahead of the auction.
Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum), Abdullah Shafique (Diamond), Sikandar Raza (Gold), Mohammad Naeem (Silver), Mustafizur Rahman (Direct)
Karachi Kings: Hasan Ali (Platinum), Abbas Afridi (Diamond), Khushdil Shah (Gold), Saad Baig (Emerging), Moeen Ali (Direct)
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (Platinum), Salman Irshad (Gold), Andries Gous (Silver), Devon Conway (Direct)
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (Platinum), Sufiyan Muqeem (Diamond), Abdul Samad (Gold), Ali Raza (Emerging), Aaron Hardie (Direct)
Quetta Gladiators: Abrar Ahmed (Platinum), Usman Tariq (Diamond), Hasan Nawaz (Gold), Shamyl Hussain (Emerging), Spencer Johnson (Direct)
Rawalpindi: Mohammad Rizwan (Platinum), Sam Billings (Diamond), Zaman Khan (Gold), Yasir Khan (Silver)
Sialkot Stallionz: Mohammad Nawaz (Platinum), Salman Mirza (Diamond), Ahmed Daniyal (Gold), Saad Masood (Emerging), Steve Smith (Direct)
Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen: Saim Ayub (Platinum), Usman Khan (Diamond), Akif Javed (Gold), Maaz Sadaqat (Emerging), Marnus Labuschagne (Direct)
PSL 11 auction has already delivered fireworks, with massive signings, record bids, and fierce battles for top players. Fans are on the edge of their seats as the new season promises more drama, talent, and money than ever before.
PSL 11 Auction Kicks Off with History-Making Bids and Star-Studded Lineups
