PSL 11 to start from March 26, says PCB
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced that the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin on Thursday, March 26, marking a major expansion of the league with the inclusion of two new franchises.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the PSL Governing Council held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore to finalise preparations for the upcoming season, according to a PCB press release.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi chaired the meeting, which was attended by representatives of all eight PSL franchises along with senior PCB and PSL officials.
The governing council welcomed the new franchise owners of Sialkot and Hyderabad, congratulating the board and league management on the successful conclusion of the expansion process.
According to the PCB, the Sialkot franchise was acquired by the FKS Group for Rs1.75 billion, while the Hyderabad franchise was purchased by OZ Developers for Rs1.85 billion, reflecting strong investor confidence in the league.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the PSL 11 schedule, player retentions and squad-building mechanisms. The council deliberated over conducting a traditional player auction, adopting a hybrid model referred to as a ‘drauction’, and allowing direct player signings.
It was confirmed that PSL 11 will officially commence on March 26, ushering in a new era for the tournament following its expansion to eight teams.
A working group was formed at the conclusion of the meeting and is scheduled to convene on Saturday to further deliberate on unresolved agenda items. The governing council will reconvene as needed to finalise key decisions ahead of the season.
The Pakistan Super League, which was launched in 2016 with five teams and expanded to six in 2018, has continued to grow in stature. The 11th edition marks the league’s largest expansion to date.
PSL 2026 matches will be hosted in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan and, for the first time, Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, which will make its debut as a PSL venue.
