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LAHORE: Pakistan’s premier Twenty20 competition, the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), will undergo sweeping structural reforms from its 11th edition, including a shift to a player auction system and a significant increase in team salary caps, league officials said on Monday.
In a landmark change after a decade of operations, the PSL will replace its traditional player draft with a Player Auction Model from PSL 11, a move aimed at improving competitive balance, boosting transparency and offering players greater earning potential.
Under the new system, franchises will be allowed to retain a maximum of four players, restricted to one player per category. Previously, teams could retain up to eight players, with additional provisions for mentors, brand ambassadors and a right-to-match option, all of which have now been scrapped.
Newly inducted teams will be permitted to select and retain four players from the available pool before the auction takes place. Each franchise will also be allowed one direct signing of a foreign player who did not feature in the previous PSL season, enabling teams to add fresh international talent.
The league has also increased the player salary purse to $1.6 million per franchise, a move designed to attract top domestic and overseas players and strengthen the competition’s commercial appeal.
PSL officials said the reforms reflect the league’s long-term strategic direction and its ambition to continue growing both on and off the field.
The 11th edition of the PSL will begin on March 26, 2026. Faisalabad has been added as an additional host city, marking the return of top-tier cricket to the venue and expanding the league’s national footprint.
Further details on the auction process, schedule and operational guidelines will be announced at a later date.
