LAHORE: The HBL Pakistan Super League (HBL PSL) has announced sweeping structural reforms ahead of its 11th edition, marking a transformative moment in the league’s evolution. In a historic shift, the HBL PSL will transition from its traditional Player Draft system to a Player Auction Model, a move aimed at enhancing competitive balance, increasing transparency, and expanding earning opportunities for players.
Under the revised framework, each franchise will be allowed to retain a maximum of four players, limited to one per category. This marks a departure from previous seasons, where teams could retain up to eight players, including a Mentor, a Brand Ambassador, and a Right to Match (RTM) option for a ninth player. All three of these designations have now been abolished.
The two newly inducted franchises—Sialkot and Hyderabad—will be permitted to select and retain four players from the available pool prior to the auction. Additionally, each franchise will be allowed one direct signing of a foreign player who did not feature in HBL PSL X, enabling teams to strategically bolster their squads with fresh international talent. In a further boost to the league’s commercial and competitive outlook, the player salary cap has been increased to USD 1.6 million per franchise, reinforcing HBL PSL’s commitment to rewarding performance and attracting elite domestic and international cricketers.
These reforms reflect the league’s strategic trajectory and its ambition to reach new heights while remaining anchored in its mission to promote cricketing excellence and fan engagement. The official nomenclature of the league remains HBL PSL, and media houses have been advised to use this designation consistently across all platforms.
HBL PSL 11 is set to commence on March 26, 2026, with Faisalabad added as a new host city, marking its return to the spotlight and expanding the league’s national footprint. Additional details regarding the Player Auction process, schedule, and operational guidelines will be released in due course.
