By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have strongly refuted media reports claiming that two cities have already been finalised for the new HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises.
The PCB in a statement emphasised that no such decision has been made and reiterates that the selection of team names will strictly follow the official bidding process.
The PCB stated, “Reports suggesting that the PCB has finalised city names for the new HBL PSL franchises are entirely inaccurate. As clearly outlined in the Bid Documents, only the successful bidders will have the right to choose a team name from the approved list of cities.”
The Board further clarified, “The cities currently available for selection include Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit. Any claims beyond this official list are purely speculative and should not be treated as factual.”
The PCB expressed satisfaction with the increasing level of interest from both domestic and international parties in acquiring team franchise rights for future editions of the HBL PSL.
“We are encouraged by the strong response from prospective bidders,” the Board added.
“This reflects the continued growth, credibility and global appeal of the HBL PSL.”
It is important to note that the public advertisement inviting bids for Team Franchise Rights was issued on November 15, 2025, welcoming submissions from interested entities worldwide.
The deadline for submitting Technical Proposals is December 15, 2025 at 11:00 am.
“We look forward to a fair, competitive and transparent bidding process in accordance with the criteria communicated to all stakeholders,” the Board said.
Recent media reports have claimed that mutual understanding has been reached on Faisalabad and Gilgit.
