The countdown to the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) is now officially on and the player retention deadline has now been locked in, with franchises having some crucial decisions to make.
Teams have till February 3rd to keep one player of each category. After that date all the remaining players are scheduled to be released in the auction pool, opening the way for historical change in the recruitment model of the league.
For the first time in the history of PSL, the tournament will be conducted with an auction based system instead of the conventional draft system. The PSL 11 auction is set for February 11 and this change signifies a new era as far as team-building strategies and squad management are concerned.
This season is being termed as a big reset and the reasons are obvious. PSL 11 will also have 8 teams for the first time with Hyderabad and Sialkot participating.
The expansion coupled with the transition to an auction format means that franchises need to rethink the way they approach playing, they will have to pay more attention to squad balance, money management and long term combinations instead of short term fixes.
Ahead of the retention deadline, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has further confirmed updated player categories, which will be very important when it comes to team strategies.
In Platinum category there are star players which include Shadab Khan (Islamabad United), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Lahore Qalandars), Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi), and Mohammad Rizwan (Multan Sultans).
Diamond category also includes some terrific names like Abbas Afridi (Karachi Kings), Abdullah Shafique (Lahore Qalandars), Usama Mir and Iftikhar Ahmed (Multan Sultans), Saud Shakeel (Quetta Gladiators).
Meanwhile the Gold, Silver and Emerging categories have been refreshed bringing a mix of experienced players and promising young talent to the limelight.
The franchises have already been briefed by the PCB on auction rules, player pricing, squad composition guidelines and budget limits as they prepare for this historic edition of the league.
Also read: Player categories announced ahead of PSL 11 auction 2026
