Sports Print edition: 2026-01-27

PCB holds workshop: HBL PSL player auction to take place on Feb 11

Published January 27, 2026 Updated January 27, 2026 06:48am

3 min

By Muhammad Saleem

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conducted a workshop regarding the upcoming HBL PSL Player Auction at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday chaired by Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi.

CEO PSL Salman Naseer, HBL PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players attended the workshop.

Among the players, the top two leading run-scorers in HBL PSL history Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman and the top two leading wicket-takers Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi were also present.

The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants. It was agreed that the HBL PSL Player Auction will take place on 11th February.

Among discussions on various aspects of the Auction, apart from the franchise representatives, the players fully engaged in the process.

The base prices of the players were also revealed and it was decided that the Auction price and minimum incremental bids for the players were to be in Pakistan Rupees. The base price of the top bracket was set in PKR 40.2 million, PKR 20.2 million, PKR 10.1 million and PKR 6 million.

The minimum incremental bid for each base price was also decided as PKR 250,000 for bid amounts under PKR 10.1 million; PKR 500,000 for bid amounts under PKR 20.2 million; PKR 1,000,000 for bid amounts under PKR 40.2 million; PKR 1,500,000 for bid amounts above PKR 40.2 million.

The franchises are free to bid higher than the above mentioned minimum incremental bid for each base price.

The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size. It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI.

The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.

Players either retained or picked in the HBL PSL 11 Players Auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams. After the HBL PSL 11, the franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament. Franchises will also be entitled to directly sign one foreign player for the HBL PSL 11, who has not played in the HBL PSL X. The franchise team purse of PKR 450 million will be extendable to PKR 500.5 million to include the directly signed foreign players. The PCB will also contribute towards the procurement of elite foreign players.

Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman PCB said, “I am 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. 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.”

Salman Naseer, CEO HBL PSL said, “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. This 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.”

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