In a seismic shift for Pakistan’s premier T20 league, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has scrapped its traditional player draft system ahead of the 11th season. Starting next year, all franchises will bid for talent in a full auction format, a move announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday.
The PCB aims to foster greater competitive balance among teams, enhance transparency in player acquisitions, and boost earning potential for cricketers. Under the new rules, each franchise can retain a maximum of four players—one from each category—down from previous limits. Mentors, brand ambassadors, and the Right to Match (RTM) cards are also being eliminated.
Newly added teams will have the privilege of selecting and retaining four players from the available pool before the auction kicks off. Additionally, franchises gain the flexibility to directly sign one foreign player who didn’t feature in PSL 10, opening doors to fresh international stars. Salary purses have been juiced up to $1.6 million per team, promising fiercer bidding wars.
PSL 11 is slated to commence on March 26, with Faisalabad joining as a new venue to streamline match hosting. PCB officials hailed this as a progressive step toward cricketing excellence and deeper fan engagement. Detailed auction processes, schedules, and guidelines will follow in due course.
This overhaul is poised to elevate PSL’s stature, injecting strategy and fairness into team-building while thrilling fans with high-stakes auctions. As franchises gear up, expect a transformed league brimming with unpredictability and talent.