PSL 12: Deadline for retentions and team salary caps announced

For the 12th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), franchises have been given a deadline of January 13, 2027, to finalize their player retentions. Additionally, regulations concerning the upcoming season’s player auction, squad composition, and financial matters have been established.

Consensus Among All Eight Franchises

In preparation for PSL 12, an operations workshop was held under the leadership of CEO Salman Naseer, during which various administrative and technical aspects of the event were discussed in detail. All eight franchises reached a consensus on the retention policy, player auction regulations, and decisions regarding squad sizes.

The deadline for player retentions has been set with the National T20 Cup schedule in mind, allowing local players to showcase their performance in the domestic tournament and potentially attract the attention of the franchises.

Maximum of Seven Players Can Be Retained per Team

Under the new rules, each franchise is permitted to retain a maximum of seven players. However, any team that chooses to utilize all seven retention slots must release the most expensive player they acquired in the previous auction.

During the workshop, all rules pertaining to the player auction were thoroughly reviewed, and the franchises granted their approval after reaching an agreement on every point.

Salary Cap of 450 Million PKR for Franchises

For PSL 12, the base salary cap for each team has been set at 450 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR), which is equivalent to approximately 1.6 million US Dollars. If a franchise signs a player directly, retains a direct signing from the previous season, or utilizes both options, its salary cap will increase to 505 million (50.5 crore) rupees.

Additionally, it has been made mandatory for each franchise to spend a minimum of 365 million (36.5 crore) rupees during the auction.

Condition for Direct Signing of Foreign Players

The direct signing phase for franchises will continue until November 23. During this period, teams may only directly sign foreign players who have not participated in the last two PSL seasons.

Salman Naseer’s Statement Regarding the Workshop

PSL CEO Salman Naseer stated that the significance of the workshop extended beyond merely reaching a consensus on decisions; it was also noteworthy how all matters were resolved through mutual consultation.

According to him, the franchises participated in the discussions with complete openness and engaged in detailed deliberations on every aspect of the auction rules. Ultimately, all eight teams provided their unanimous approval for these regulations.

Salman Naseer further added that the deadline for player retentions has been set to coincide with the National T20 Cup to provide local players an opportunity to showcase their talent, ensuring that those who perform well in domestic cricket can also capture the attention of the franchises.