10 most expensive players of PSL auction 2026

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) made history on Wednesday as its first-ever player auction replaced the traditional draft system, producing record-breaking bids and reshaping team line-ups ahead of the league’s 11th edition.

The auction was held at the Expo Centre Lahore, where eight franchises, including new entrants Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen, finalised their squads for PSL 11, scheduled from March 26 to May 3.

With teams allowed to retain only four players, franchises spent aggressively to rebuild their cores, resulting in several marquee players crossing the Rs80 million mark.

Top 10 most expensive players of PSL 11 auction

Steve Smith (Sialkot Stallionz) – Rs140 million (direct signing)

Saim Ayub (Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen) – Rs126 million (direct signing)

Naseem Shah (Rawalpindi) – Rs86.5 million

Faheem Ashraf (Islamabad United) – Rs85 million

Daryl Mitchell (Rawalpindi) – Rs80.5 million

Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars) – Rs79.5 million

David Warner (Karachi Kings) – Rs79 million

Haris Rauf (Lahore Qalandars) – Rs76 million

Mark Chapman (Islamabad United) – Rs70 million

Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi) – Rs70 million (retention)

Fast bowler Naseem Shah emerged as the most expensive bowling option, while Sialkot Stallionz made the biggest overall investment by signing Steve Smith for a record Rs140 million.

READ MORE: T20 World Cup: Farhan, bowlers power Pakistan to 32-run win over USA

Auction highlights

Rawalpindi focused on assembling a formidable bowling unit by acquiring Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Rishad Hossain, and Asif Afridi, while adding batting strength through Daryl Mitchell.

Islamabad United built a balanced squad, splashing big on Faheem Ashraf and Mark Chapman, while adding experience with Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, and Shamar Joseph.

Karachi Kings grabbed headlines by signing former Australia captain David Warner, alongside Salman Ali Agha, Adam Zampa, and Azam Khan.

Lahore Qalandars opted for continuity, re-acquiring Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf, while strengthening their spin and all-round options.

PSL 11 squads

Lahore Qalandars

Shaheen Shah Afridi (70.0m), Abdullah Shafique (22.0m), Sikandar Raza (28.0m), Mohammad Naeem (7.0m), Mustafizur Rahman (64.4m), Haris Rauf (76.0m), Usama Mir (35.0m), Fakhar Zaman (79.5m), Ubaid Shah (27.0m), Haseebullah Khan (11.0m), Mohammad Farooq (6.0m), Dasun Shanaka (7.5m), Parvez Hossain Emon (6.0m), Asif Ali (6.0m), Tayyab Tahir (6.0m), Gudakesh Motie (11.0m).

Karachi Kings

Hasan Ali (47.6m), Abbas Afridi (30.8m), Khushdil Shah (33.6m), Saad Baig (6.0m), Moeen Ali (64.4m), David Warner (79.0m), Azam Khan (32.5m), Salman Ali Agha (58.5m), Shahid Aziz (9.25m), Mir Hamza (24.0m), Adam Zampa (45.0m), Mohammad Hamza Sohail (6.25m), Aqib Ilyas (6.0m), Khuzaima Bin Tanveer (9.0m), Johnson Charles (20.0m), Muhammad Waseem (11.0m), Ihsanullah (10.5m), Rizwanullah (6.0m).

Islamabad United

Mark Chapman (70.0m), Mohammad Wasim Jr (41.0m), Mir Hamza Sajjad (7.0m), Sameer Minhas (19.0m), Sameen Gul (6.0m), Shamar Joseph (11.0m), Imad Wasim (22.0m), Richard Gleeson (11.0m), Haider Ali (15.0m), Mohammad Hasnain (7.75m), Dipendra Singh Airee (6.0m).

Peshawar Zalmi

Babar Azam (70.0m), Sufiyan Muqeem (44.8m), Abdul Samad (28.0m), Ali Raza (19.6m), Aaron Hardie (direct signing), Aamir Jamal (19.0m), Mohammad Haris (22.0m), Khalid Usman (6.0m), Abdul Subhan (6.25m), James Vince (30.0m), Michael Bracewell (42.0m), Kusal Mendis (42.0m), Iftikhar Ahmed (18.0m), Nahid Rana (6.0m), Mirza Tahir Baig (6.0m).

Quetta Gladiators

Abrar Ahmed (70.0m), Usman Tariq (56.0m), Hasan Nawaz (39.2m), Shamyl Hussain (8.4m), Spencer Johnson (direct signing), Rilee Rossouw (55.5m), Faisal Akram (12.5m), Arafat Minhas (11.0m), Jahandad Khan (25.0m), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (65.0m), Wasim Akram Jr (7.75m), Khan Zaib (6.0m), Bismillah Khan (6.0m), Saqib Khan (6.0m), Brett Hampton (6.0m), Sam Harper (6.0m), Bevon Jacobs (6.0m), Saud Shakeel (6.5m), Ben McDermott (11.0m), Tom Curran (42.0m).

Rawalpindi

Mohammad Rizwan (56.0m), Sam Billings (30.8m), Zaman Khan (11.2m), Yasir Khan (6.0m), Naseem Shah (86.5m), Rishad Hossain (30.0m), Daryl Mitchell (80.5m), Mohammad Amir (54.0m), Abdullah Fazal (6.75m), Amad Butt (8.0m), Dian Forrester (6.0m), Laurie Evans (11.0m), Asif Afridi (24.0m), Kamran Ghulam (6.5m), Fawad Ali (6.0m), Mohammad Amir Khan (6.0m), Shahzaib Khan (6.0m).

Sialkot Stallionz

Mohammad Nawaz (61.6m), Mohammad Salman Mirza (39.2m), Ahmed Daniyal (22.4m), Saad Masood (8.4m), Steve Smith (direct signing), Jahanzaib Sultan (6.0m), Sahibzada Farhan (57.0m), Ashton Turner (42.0m), Peter Siddle (25.0m), Tabraiz Shamsi (22.0m), Lachlan Shaw (6.0m), Delano Potgieter (6.0m), Josh Philippe (23.0m), Shan Masood (6.5m), Momin Qamar (10.75m), Muhammad Awais Zafar (6.0m).

Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen:

Saim Ayub (126.0m), Akif Javed (19.6m), Maaz Sadaqat (35.0m), Marnus Labuschagne (direct signing), Usman Khan (46.2m), Mohammad Ali (21.5m), Kusal Perera (31.0m), Muhammad Irfan Khan (29.0m), Hassan Khan (18.5m), Shayan Jahangir (6.0m), Ottniel Baartman (11.0m), Hammad Azam (6.0m), Riley Meredith (42.0m), Sharjeel Khan (6.0m), Asif Mehmood (6.0m), Hunain Shah (6.0m), Rizwan Mehmood (6.0m), Saad Ali (6.0m), Tayyab Arif (6.0m).