PSL Sets Player Retention Deadline for New Franchise Teams

The Pakistan Super League has announced player retention deadlines ahead of the PSL 11 Player Auction, with the two new franchises given additional time to finalize their initial squads. The new teams, Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad, must submit their final list of four players by February 6, while the PSL 11 Player Auction is scheduled for February 11.

The six existing franchises have an earlier deadline and can retain one player in each of four categories by February 3. Players not retained by that date will enter the player pool, making them available for selection by the new franchises. Sialkot and Hyderabad are allowed to secure one player per category from the released list to build a core group prior to the auction, benefiting from the additional time to make informed decisions after seeing which players are released by older teams.

For PSL 11, the Pakistan Cricket Board has also introduced direct signings for the first time since the league’s inception in 2016. This allows the new franchises to pick released players to form a foundation for their squads before the auction begins. The retention update comes after the PCB announced category renewals for 89 national cricketers associated with the six existing franchises, influencing retention strategies and budget planning for all teams ahead of the auction.