PSL 12 signings window opens; PCB rejects player salary cut

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday opened the direct signings window for all eight HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises and published the pre-season roadmap for the 12th edition, which will run from March 18 to May 2 next year, Dawn reported. A day earlier, it turned down a proposal to cut Pakistani players’ salaries, The Express Tribune reported.

The roadmap

The player-movement cycle began with immediate effect, and the player auction is set for January 23. PSL 12 will have 44 matches, made up of 40 league games and four playoffs, played over 46 days. For the first time in the league’s history, matches will be spread across five to six venues.

The main dates and rules announced so far are:

• Direct signings: each franchise may sign one marquee player who did not feature in either PSL 10 or PSL 11. The window stays open until November 23.
• Workshop: a session with franchises next week will fix retention deadlines, the pre-auction trade window, auction regulations and playing conditions.
• Domestic link: the National T20 Gold and National T20 Silver tournaments are now formally aligned with the PSL pre-season calendar. They will serve as the main talent-identification route, giving strong domestic performers a clearer path into the league and possibly the national team.
• Retentions: The Express Tribune reported that the PCB set January 13 as the deadline for player retentions. One franchise owner suggested the process be held in December instead, while another said he would comment after consulting his cricket operations team.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi called the coming season the league’s “most ambitious yet”. “HBL PSL 11 ended before a record crowd, and we are building on that momentum by taking the league to more cities than ever before,” he said in a statement. PSL Chief Executive Salman Naseer said that “from today, the race to build the best squad for HBL PSL 12 is on”, and that taking the league to five or six venues would bring it closer to fans across the country.

What the owners discussed

According to The Express Tribune, a virtual meeting with franchise owners on Thursday heard one owner argue that players’ salaries were too high and should be reviewed. The board did not approve the proposal. The PCB also directed stakeholders with outstanding dues to clear all payments by October 31. An official of one defaulting company said it would meet its obligations, adding: “We are not going to run away. I will arrange a bank guarantee against my land and submit it to the PCB.” A representative of another franchise said he had no information on the matter.

One franchise owner proposed holding the auction in China, the report said. The auction is expected on January 23. The PSL 12 final will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on May 2 and the opening match is scheduled for March 18.

The South Asian Games are to be held in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar from April 4 to 11, and no PSL matches will be held in those cities during that period. The tournament schedule will be finalised at the next meeting of the cricket committee. PCB officials also told franchises about promising talent coming through school cricket and urged them to scout the best prospects.

The 2026 season

The PSL grew to eight teams in 2026 with the addition of Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz. Peshawar Zalmi won their second title by beating the debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final at Gaddafi Stadium, in front of a record crowd of 32,461. That season was also affected by regional tensions and fuel shortages, which forced organisers to concentrate most matches in Lahore and Karachi. Read our earlier report on the PSL 12 window.

Why it matters

Playing in five or six cities would be a big change from this year’s season, when most matches were held in Lahore and Karachi. The salary row shows tension between owners and the board over costs, and the October 31 payment deadline will reveal how many franchises are behind on dues. The next few weeks of signings, retentions and the January auction will shape the squads that begin the season in March.

This article draws on reporting by Dawn and The Express Tribune.