PSL 12 auction rules announced as teams face new player retention condition
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalised the rules for the 12th edition of the Pakistan Super League, with the player auction scheduled for January 23. All eight franchises unanimously approved the new regulations during a workshop at Gaddafi Stadium.
Seven-player retention rule for PSL 12
Each franchise will be allowed to retain a maximum of seven players, including its direct signing. However, a team using all seven retention slots must release one player from the highest price category of the previous auction.
The released player will become available to all franchises through the general auction pool. The rule aims to ensure that top-quality players remain accessible to other teams while allowing franchises to keep most of their existing squads.
The deadline for announcing retained players is January 13, ten days before the auction. This timing will allow teams to review performances in the National T20 Silver tournament and the ongoing National T20 Gold competition before making their final selections.
Domestic performers may get more opportunities
The PCB said the new schedule would create a “live, data-driven link” between domestic cricket and the PSL. This will allow franchises to consider players who perform well in the National T20 competitions before finalising their squads.
According to the PCB, a domestic player performing strongly in the National T20 Gold tournament could “force his way into franchise thinking in real time”. This approach is expected to give emerging local players a better chance of attracting attention from PSL teams.
PSL 12 auction and salary cap
The PSL 12 auction will take place on January 23 and will be only the second auction in the tournament’s history. Each franchise will have a basic salary cap of Rs45 crore to build its squad.
However, the salary cap will increase to Rs50.5 crore for a franchise that makes a direct signing for PSL 12, retains its direct signing from the previous season, or chooses both options. Every franchise will also be required to spend at least Rs36.5 crore on its players.
The deadline for direct signings has been set for November 23, 2026. Each franchise can directly sign one marquee player who did not participate in PSL 10 or PSL 11.
All eight franchises approve new regulations
The rules were finalised during a workshop chaired by PSL Chief Executive Salman Naseer. Representatives of all eight franchises discussed the auction system, direct signings, player retention, trading opportunities, squad sizes and salary limits.
Naseer said all franchises took part openly in the discussions and agreed on the regulations together. “What made today remarkable was not just what was agreed, it was how it was agreed,” Naseer said in a statement.
“Every franchise engaged with complete openness, the Auction rules were worked through line by line, and we finished with unanimous buy-in across all eight sides,” he added.
Naseer also explained that the January 13 retention deadline was linked to the National T20 competitions. This will give domestic players an opportunity to improve their chances of selection through strong performances before franchises make their final decisions.
The new PSL 12 rules will give franchises more control over their squads while keeping top players available for other teams. The mandatory release of a top-tier player could also make the auction more competitive.
The timing of the retention deadline is another important step for local cricketers. Strong performances in domestic tournaments could help emerging players earn a place in the PSL.
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