The 11th edition of the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) will see yet another historic development as the franchise moves to a player auction model instead of the traditional player draft system, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday.

The board called the transition to the auction model “a historic move after a decade of success” and said that it reinforced PSL’s “continued growth, competitiveness, and commitment to innovation”.

“This strategic shift is aimed at enhancing competitive balance, increasing transparency, and providing players greater earning opportunities,” PCB said in a statement today.

Under the revised player acquisition framework, each franchise may retain a maximum of four players, limited to one player per category. Previously, every franchise was allowed to retain eight players from their squad, including a mentor, a brand ambassador, and a Right to Match (RTM) option to retain a ninth player in the draft.

The rules pertaining to mentors, brand ambassadors and RTM have been abolished for PSL XI, the statement said.

“Newly inducted teams will be allowed to select and retain four players from the available player pool before the player auction,” it added.

It added that each franchise will also be allowed one direct signing of a foreign player who did not feature in PSL X, enabling teams to strategically strengthen their squads with fresh international talent.

Further strengthening the league’s commercial and competitive outlook, the player salary purse has been increased to $1.6 million per franchise, which the statement said underscored PSL’s “commitment to rewarding player performance and attracting elite domestic and international cricketers”.

“These progressive measures reflect the League’s strategic trajectory and evolution, while remaining firmly rooted in its mission to promote cricketing excellence, fan engagement, and attaining unprecedented heights,” it said.

According to the statement, PSL 11 will officially commence on March 26. Additionally, Faisalabad has been added as an additional venue to host League matches, “marking the city’s return to (the) spotlight and further expanding the League’s national footprint”.

It added that additional details regarding the player auction process, schedule, and operational guidelines would be shared in due course.