The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 player auction will be held on Wednesday, February 11, marking a major step in the league’s shift to a new auction-based system.
The decision was finalised during a consultative workshop at Gaddafi Stadium, chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
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Representatives of all eight franchises, PSL officials, PCB management, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad and several capped players attended the session.
Several top performers from previous PSL seasons, including Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi, were also present.
The meeting focused on explaining the auction and retention rules, with franchises and players actively involved in the discussion process.
The PCB confirmed that base prices for the auction have been set at four tiers: Rs 4.2 crore, Rs 2.2 crore, Rs 1.1 crore and Rs 60 lakh.
READ: Revised player categories for PSL 11 auction revealed: reports
Minimum bid increases have also been defined, ranging from Rs 250,000 to Rs 1.5 million, depending on the bid value.
- PKR 250,000 for bid amounts under PKR 1.1 crore
- PKR 500,000 for bid amounts under PKR 2.2 crore
- PKR 1,000,000 for bid amounts under PKR 4.2 crore
- PKR 1,500,000 for bid amounts above PKR 4.2 crore
Franchises will be allowed to raise bids beyond the minimum increments if they choose.
Each team will be required to name a squad of 16 to 20 players, including five to seven foreign players.
Teams must play at least three and up to four overseas players in their playing XI.
In addition, every squad must include at least two uncapped Under-23 players, with one of them required to feature in the playing XI.
Players retained or bought in PSL 11 will sign two-year contracts with their respective franchises.
Teams will be allowed to retain up to seven players for PSL 12, after which a grand auction will be held, where a maximum of five players can be retained.
All other released players will return to the auction pool.
READ: PSL 11 set for major overhaul with key changes revealed
Franchises have also been given the option to directly sign one foreign player who did not take part in PSL 10.
For such signings, the team purse of Rs 45 crore may be increased to Rs 50.5 crore, with financial support from the PCB for elite overseas players.
Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi said the workshop reflected a collective effort to strengthen the league’s future.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive,” he added.
PSL CEO Salman Naseer described the auction system as the beginning of a new phase for the league.
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“The HBL PSL’s highly-anticipated New Era is finally here. The player auction system modernises player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the HBL PSL’s appeal for both players, franchises and most importantly meets the expectations of our loyal fans,” Naseer said.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month. More excitement is on the way,” he concluded.
