Young all-rounder Saim Ayub made history by becoming the most expensive player from Pakistan in the history of Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The newly introduced franchise, Hyderabad, paid him a humongous Rs126 million (Rs12.6 crore), beating all-time high-profile bids of other big players such as Babar Azam, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi.
Overall, Saim is only second to Australia’s Steve Smith who was signed by Sialkot Stallionz for Rs140 million.
Record-Breaking Deal Following Zalmi Exit
Saim’s record move comes just after he was released by Peshawar Zalmi, who chose to retain Babar Azam in the Platinum category because of a shortage of retention slots.
With PSL 11 going completely to an auction format and franchises only being able to retain 4 players, a number of big names entered the draft pool.
Currently ranked on the No. 1 spot of men’s T20I all-rounder in the ICC rankings, Saim was already one of the most in-demand players.
Hyderabad’s aggressive bid is an indication of Saim’s rising stature in international cricket and his immense value.
Hyderabad’s Strong Core comes into shape
Alongside Saim Ayub, Hyderabad signed Usman Khan for Rs46.2 million, Maaz Sadaqat for Rs35 million, and Akif Javed for Rs19.6 million.
The franchise confirmed the signings on a social media post with animated images of the four players, welcoming the players with the message:
“Big energy getting into your feed. A big welcome to Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Maaz Sadaqat and Akif Javed to Team Hyderabad.”
Overseas Boost with Labuschagne
Hyderabad have further boosted their squad by directly acquiring Australian star Marnus Labuschagne for PSL 2026.
The famous batter is supposed to guide the batting order of the franchise in the upcoming season.
With some big names already signed, Hyderabad is set to be aggressive in the auctioning process as they build a competitive squad.
Also read: PSL 11: who has become most expensive player in history of PSL?
