The Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League will be held on February 11.
Earlier this week, the PCB confirmed that the upcoming PSL season will shift to an auction-based system, replacing the draft model used in previous editions.
The board held a detailed workshop at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to brief franchises on the new auction process. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi presided over the session, which was attended by representatives of all eight franchises, PSL officials and members of the T20 World Cup squad. According to a PCB press release, officials shared a comprehensive presentation on player retentions and the auction mechanism and sought feedback from stakeholders.
The PCB confirmed that auction prices and minimum incremental bids will be set in Pakistani rupees. It fixed the base prices at Rs42 million, Rs22 million, Rs11 million and Rs6 million. The minimum incremental bid will be Rs250,000 for bids under Rs11 million, Rs500,000 for bids under Rs22 million, Rs1 million for bids under Rs42 million and Rs15 million for bids above Rs42 million. The board said franchises may bid higher than the minimum increments.
Each franchise will be required to select a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20 players. Teams may include between five and seven foreign players, depending on squad size. The PCB said franchises must field at least three and no more than four foreign players in the playing XI.
The board also mandated that squads must include at least two uncapped Under-23 players, with one required to feature in the playing XI.
Players retained or selected in the PSL 11 auction will receive two-year contracts with their franchises. After the 11th edition, teams will be allowed to retain a maximum of seven players for PSL 12. Following PSL 12, the league will hold a grand auction, allowing franchises to retain up to five players, while released players will return to the auction pool.
The PCB said franchises may also directly sign one foreign player who did not feature in the previous PSL season. Each franchise will receive a base purse of Rs450 million, extendable to Rs505 million to accommodate directly signed foreign players. The board also said it will contribute toward securing elite overseas players.
Naqvi termed the move from a draft to an auction model a major milestone for the league, saying it would provide players with improved financial opportunities, increase transparency and enhance competitiveness.
The upcoming PSL season will feature two new franchises, Hyderabad and Sialkot, increasing the total number of teams to eight. The PCB said PSL 11 will be held from March 26 to May 3, 2026.