LAHORE (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Super League (PSL) first-ever players’ auction is currently underway, marking a historic shift in the league’s player recruitment system.
The PSL, for the first time in its 11-year history, has a player auction instead of the traditional draft, with two new franchises – from Hyderabad and Sialkot – added to the tournament to make it an eight-team affair. Each team was allowed to retain up to four players, one each from Platinum, Diamond, Gold, and Silver categories.
At the auction, they must build a squad of 16 to 20 players, with at least five and a maximum of seven overseas players allowed. Teams must also have at least two uncapped U23 players in the squad, and at least one should be selected in each playing XI
Players will be signed on two-year contracts, with the PCB planning a grand auction after the 2027 edition of the PSL.
Live Streaming
The PSL 2026 auction is being streamed live on the tournament’s YouTube channel. It will also be available to watch live on PCB’s YouTube page https://www.youtube.com/live/jv-Ymg6kISY?si=d7TDua-35J-lYl2Z
All the teams, except Multan Sultans, have made retentions ahead of the PSL 2026 auction. The Multan-based franchise will now be based out of Rawalpindi after its sale on February 9.
David Warner sold to Karachi Kings
In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), first ever player auction 2026, Karachi Kings have acquired the Australian Batter David Warner at a striking price of 7 crore, 90 Lakh Pakistani rupees.
The bidding started at the base price of
Karachi Kings Gets David Warner at 7 Crore 90 lakh pic.twitter.com/uyThtTabSv
— ٰImran Siddique (@imransiddique89) February 11, 2026
Rilee Rossouw sold to Quetta Gladiators
The PSL team, Quetta Gladiators, bought the South African Cricketer Rilee Rossouw for 5.550 Crore Pakistani Ruppees. The bidding started at the price of 4.2 Crore.
The bidding was held between Quetta Gladiators and Rawalpindi.
Faheem Ashraf sold to Islamabad United
Faheem Ashraf has been sold to Islamabad United for 8.5 crore as the first player sold in the PSL Auction.
Naseem Shah Sold to Rawalpindi
The renowned Pakistani bowler Naseem Shah has been acquired by Rawalpindi for 8.5 Crore Pakistani Rupees. The 22-year-old pacer was among the most sought-after names in the fast-bowling category, with franchises bidding aggressively to secure a proven new-ball specialist.
Rawalpindi ultimately won the race, strengthening their pace attack with a bowler known for his ability to generate early breakthroughs and maintain control in high-pressure T20 situations.
Naseem’s addition to the Rawalpindi squad demonstrates their strategy to construct a bowling team that will use fast bowlers together with local talent. Naseem Shah is currently part of the Pakistan squad for the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka and India.
After the auction, Lahore Qalandars completed their major fast-bowling acquisition when they obtained Haris Rauf for Rs. 7.60 crore following his excellent displays during the 2025/26 Big Bash League (BBL 15).
The team acquired Faheem Ashraf from Islamabad United, while David Warner joined Karachi Kings, and Rilee Roussow moved to Quetta Gladiators. The team unexpectedly decided not to make a bid for their former captain, Saud Shakeel, who later remained without a contract.
Harris Rauf Sold to Lahore Qalandars
Harris Ruaf has been sold to Lahore Qalandars at the price of 7.6 Crore Pakistani rupees. The right-arm fast bowler began his professional career after achieving outstanding results during the 2025/26 Big Bash League (BBL) 15 season, which made him one of the top bowlers in the tournament.
Rauf played a key role for Melbourne Stars, finishing as a leading wicket-taker and earning the BKT Golden Arm award as the top fast bowler of the season.
He claimed 20 wickets in 11 matches, when he achieved crucial wicket success during important match moments, and he provided essential wickets during both middle and death bowling periods. His match-defining spells, which included a 3/29 performance that wiped out Sydney Thunder’s middle order, helped Melbourne achieve a decisive victory.
The marquee signing occurs during PSL’s first-ever player auction, which takes place at the Expo Centre in Lahore as the league transitions from its traditional draft system to an auction-based model.
Teams can select from more than 880 registered players, while they must stay within a squad budget limit of Rs. 505 million to create their Season 11 teams. Teams must create 16-member squads, which must contain five international players and must include one under-23 player who meets the criteria for emerging talent.
So, the big signings have been David Warner, Faheem Ashraf, and Rilee Roussow.
