The Pakistan Super League entered a transformative phase with its first-ever auction format, marking a historic departure from the traditional draft system.
The psl 2026 auction took place on February 11, 2026, at Lahore’s Expo Centre, with nearly 900 players going under the hammer across multiple categories.
This landmark event coincided with league expansion, introducing two new franchises to the competition.
The Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen joined the existing six teams, creating an eight-franchise tournament structure for the first time in PSL history.
Additionally, the Multan Sultans franchise underwent complete rebranding to Rawalpindi following acquisition by Walee Technologies.
PSL 2026 Auction
The auction format fundamentally altered team-building strategies, player valuations, and competitive dynamics across the league.
PSL 2026 Auction Top Buys
The auction witnessed intense bidding for premium players, with Pakistan’s fast bowler Naseem Shah commanding the highest price at PKR 8.65 crore.
International stars and domestic performers attracted significant investment from franchises building competitive squads.
| Player | Team | Country | Price (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem Shah | Rawalpindi | Pakistan | 8.65 crore |
| Faheem Ashraf | Islamabad United | Pakistan | 8.5 crore |
| Daryl Mitchell | Rawalpindi | New Zealand | 8.05 crore |
| Fakhar Zaman | Lahore Qalandars | Pakistan | 7.95 crore |
| David Warner | Karachi Kings | Australia | 7.9 crore |
PSL 2026 Sold Players
The auction recorded substantial player movement, with 64 cricketers finding new franchises across various price brackets.
The PSL auction 2026 players list demonstrates strategic targeting of all-rounders, specialist bowlers, and explosive batters capable of impacting T20 cricket’s shortest format.
| Player | Country | Team | Price (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem Shah | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 8.65 crore |
| Faheem Ashraf | Pakistan | Islamabad United | 8.5 crore |
| Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | Rawalpindi | 8.05 crore |
| Fakhar Zaman | Pakistan | Lahore Qalandars | 7.95 crore |
| David Warner | Australia | Karachi Kings | 7.9 crore |
| Haris Rauf | Pakistan | Lahore Qalandars | 7.6 crore |
| Mark Chapman | New Zealand | Islamabad United | 7 crore |
| Khawaja Nafay | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 6.5 crore |
| Salman Ali Agha | Pakistan | Karachi Kings | 5.85 crore |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Pakistan | Sialkot Stallionz | 5.7 crore |
| Rilee Rossouw | South Africa | Quetta Gladiators | 5.5 crore |
| Mohammad Amir | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 5.4 crore |
| Adam Zampa | Australia | Karachi Kings | 4.5 crore |
| Ashton Turner | Australia | Sialkot Stallionz | 4.2 crore |
| Mohammad Wasim Jr. | Pakistan | Islamabad United | 4.1 crore |
| Azam Khan | Pakistan | Karachi Kings | 3.65 crore |
| Usama Mir | Pakistan | Lahore Qalandars | 3.5 crore |
| Kusal Perera | Sri Lanka | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 3.1 crore |
| Irfan Khan Niazi | Pakistan | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 2.9 crore |
| Khurram Shahzad | Pakistan | Peshawar Zalmi | 2.7 crore |
| Ubaid Shah | Pakistan | Lahore Qalandars | 2.7 crore |
| Jahandad Khan | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 2.5 crore |
| Peter Siddle | Australia | Sialkot Stallionz | 2.5 crore |
| Mir Hamza | Pakistan | Karachi Kings | 2.4 crore |
| Mohammad Haris | Pakistan | Peshawar Zalmi | 2.2 crore |
| Tabraiz Shamsi | South Africa | Sialkot Stallionz | 2.2 crore |
| Mohammad Ali | Pakistan | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 2.15 crore |
| Max Bryant | Australia | Islamabad United | 1.95 crore |
| Aamir Jamal | Pakistan | Peshawar Zalmi | 1.9 crore |
| Sameer Minhas | Pakistan | Islamabad United | 1.9 crore |
| Hassan Khan | USA | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 1.85 crore |
| Faisal Akram | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 1.25 crore |
| Mehran Mumtaz | Pakistan | Islamabad United | 1.2 crore |
| Haseebullah Khan | Pakistan | Lahore Qalandars | 1.1 crore |
| Arafat Minhas | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 1.1 crore |
| Rishad Hossain | Bangladesh | Rawalpindi | 1.1 crore |
| Shamar Joseph | West Indies | Islamabad United | 1.1 crore |
| Ottniel Baartman | South Africa | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 1.1 crore |
| Shahid Aziz | Pakistan | Karachi Kings | 92.5 lakh |
| Khuzaima Bin Tanveer | UAE | Karachi Kings | 90 lakh |
| Amad Butt | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 80 lakh |
| Mir Hamza Sajjad | Pakistan | Islamabad United | 70 lakh |
| Abdullah Fazal | Pakistan | Rawalpindi | 67.5 lakh |
| Mohammad Hamza Sohail | Pakistan | Karachi Kings | 62.5 lakh |
| Abdul Subhan | Pakistan | Peshawar Zalmi | 62.5 lakh |
| Wasim Akram Jr. | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 62 lakh |
| Khanzaib | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 60 lakh |
| Bismillah Khan | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 60 lakh |
| Khalid Usman | Pakistan | Peshawar Zalmi | 60 lakh |
| Aqib Ilyas | Oman | Karachi Kings | 60 lakh |
| Mohammad Farooq | Pakistan | Lahore Qalandars | 60 lakh |
| Saqib Khan | Pakistan | Quetta Gladiators | 60 lakh |
| Sameen Gul | Pakistan | Islamabad United | 60 lakh |
| Brett Hampton | New Zealand | Quetta Gladiators | 60 lakh |
| Shayan Jahangir | USA | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 60 lakh |
| Samuel Harper | England | Quetta Gladiators | 60 lakh |
| Bevon Jacobs | New Zealand | Quetta Gladiators | 60 lakh |
| Lachlan Shaw | Australia | Sialkot Stallionz | 60 lakh |
| Delano Potgieter | South Africa | Sialkot Stallionz | 60 lakh |
| Hammad Azam | USA | Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen | 60 lakh |
PSL 2026 Unsold Players
The auction produced surprising omissions, with several established international and domestic performers failing to attract bids.
High-profile players, including Imad Wasim, Chris Jordan, and Shakib Al Hasan remained unsold despite substantial T20 experience and proven track records.
The PSL auction 2026 time witnessed intense bidding activity throughout the day-long event, though franchises exercised caution with certain premium-priced players.
The psl 2026 players auction live demonstrated strategic restraint as teams balanced budget limitations against squad requirements.
| Player | Role | Country | Base Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imad Wasim | All-rounder | Pakistan | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Chris Jordan | All-rounder | England | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Shakib Al Hasan | All-rounder | Bangladesh | PKR 2.20 crore |
| Alzarri Joseph | Bowler | West Indies | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Kusal Mendis | Wicketkeeper | Sri Lanka | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Michael Bracewell | All-rounder | New Zealand | PKR 4.20 crore |
| David Willey | All-rounder | England | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Rassie van der Dussen | Batter | South Africa | PKR 4.20 crore |
| James Vince | Batter | England | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Riley Meredith | Bowler | Australia | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | Wicketkeeper | Australia | PKR 4.20 crore |
| Colin Munro | Batter | New Zealand | PKR 2.20 crore |
| Saud Shakeel | Batter | Pakistan | PKR 2.20 crore |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | All-rounder | Pakistan | PKR 2.20 crore |
| Shan Masood | Batter | Pakistan | PKR 2.20 crore |
| Ihsanullah | Bowler | Pakistan | PKR 1.10 crore |
| Mohammad Hasnain | Bowler | Pakistan | PKR 1.10 crore |
| Kamran Ghulam | Batter | Pakistan | PKR 1.10 crore |
| Haider Ali | Batter | Pakistan | PKR 1.10 crore |
| Shahnawaz Dahani | Bowler | Pakistan | PKR 1.10 crore |
PSL 2026 Retained Players
Franchises exercised retention rights before the auction, securing core players across platinum, diamond, gold, silver, and emerging categories. The PSL teams 2026 built foundations through strategic retentions before entering competitive bidding.
- Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the platinum retention list, providing pace bowling leadership and captaincy experience. Abdullah Shafique strengthens batting depth in the diamond category, while Sikandar Raza offers all-around capabilities in gold. Mohammad Naeem completes retentions in the silver category.
- Quetta Gladiators: Abrar Ahmed anchors the bowling attack as platinum retention, bringing leg-spin variations crucial for middle-overs control. Usman Tariq provides diamond-category wrist-spin support, while Hasan Nawaz offers wicketkeeping options in gold. Emerging player Shamyl Hussain represents future talent investment.
- Islamabad United: Shadab Khan’s platinum retention ensures captaincy continuity and all-around balance. Salman Irshad strengthens pace options in gold, while Andries Gous provides overseas wicketkeeping and batting depth in the silver category across the squad composition.
- Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam’s platinum retention guarantees batting stability and leadership experience. Sufyan Muqeem delivers diamond-category leg-spin, Abdul Samad offers gold all-round capabilities, while emerging player Ali Raza represents youth development investment.
- Karachi Kings: Hasan Ali leads the platinum bowling attack with extensive death-overs experience. Mohammad Abbas Afridi strengthens pace depth in the diamond, Khushdil Shah provides gold-category finishing abilities, while emerging player Saad Baig offers future wicketkeeping potential.
- Rawalpindi: Former Multan Sultans opted against retentions following franchise rebranding and ownership change. The PSL 2026 new teams name reflects a complete squad rebuilding strategy through auction rather than a continuity-based retention approach.
- Sialkot Stallionz: As an expansion franchise, retained Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal, and Saad Masood from regional talent pools. These foundational retentions established local connections before international and national-level auction acquisitions.
- Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen: Saim Ayub anchors the platinum category with explosive batting capabilities. Usman Khan provides diamond wicketkeeping, Akif Javed offers gold bowling options, while emerging player Maaz Sadaqat represents youth talent investment for this expansion franchise.
PSL 2026 Full Squads
Following the auction and retention processes, all eight franchises finalized their squads for the upcoming season. The psl draft 2026 live transitioned to an auction format, fundamentally altering squad composition strategies across the league.
- Karachi Kings: Hasan Ali, Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Moeen Ali, David Warner, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Mohammad Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer
- Sialkot Stallionz: Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal, Saad Masood, Steve Smith, Jahanzaib Sultan, Sahibzada Farhan, Ashton Turner, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter
- Islamabad United: Shadab Khan, Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Max Bryant, Mark Chapman, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameer Minhas, Sameen Gul, Shamar Joseph
- Quetta Gladiators: Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamyl Hussain, Spencer Johnson, Rilee Rossouw, Faisal Akram, Arafat Minhas, Jahandad Khan, Khawaja Nafay, Wasim Akram Jr., Khan Zeb, Bismillah Khan, Saqib Khan, Brett Hampton, Samuel Harper, Bevon Jacobs
- Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Naeem, Mustafizur Rehman, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Fakhar Zaman, Ubaid Shah, Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Farooq
- Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan
- Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen: Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Irfan Khan Niazi, Hassan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Ottniel Baartman, Hammad Azam
- Rawalpindi: Mohammad Rizwan, Sam Billings, Zaman Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt
Conclusion:
The psl 2026 auction marked a watershed moment in Pakistan Super League history, transitioning from draft-based selection to a competitive bidding format.
This fundamental shift created transparent player valuations while enabling franchises to pursue targeted recruitment strategies based on specific squad requirements.
The PSL 2026 Auction demonstrated significant investment in both established stars and emerging talent across 64 successful acquisitions.
Expansion to eight franchises through Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen additions broadened the competitive scope and talent distribution.
- Schedule Insights: The PSL 2026 schedule will accommodate eight teams across an extended tournament duration, with fixture details expected shortly following squad finalization and venue confirmations.
- Auction Impact: The new format created competitive balance through transparent bidding, though established franchises retained advantages through strategic retention policies and deeper financial resources.
- New Franchises: Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen bring regional representation and international investment, expanding the PSL 2026 Auction footprint across Pakistan and global markets.
About the Author
