KEY POINTS
- Karachi Kings retained most players in premier Gold category.
- 33 players were retained in Gold, 16 in Silver, and 14 in Emerging category.
- These retentions set the stage for the league’s first-ever player auction on Feb 11.
LAHORE: Pakistan Super League (PSL) took a significant step towards its 11th season on Tuesday by unveiling the list of players retained across the Gold, Silver, and Emerging categories by the six existing franchises.
This announcement sets the stage for the league’s first-ever players’ auction, scheduled for February 11.
Karachi Kings dominate gold category
In the premier Gold category, a total of 33 players have been retained across all six teams.
The Karachi Kings, champions in 2020, lead the pack with the most retentions, keeping eight of their stars. They are followed closely by Peshawar Zalmi with seven retentions.
Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans have retained five players each, while defending champions Lahore Qalandars and three-time winners Islamabad United have chosen to retain four players apiece in the top tier.
Solid gold, season after season 🏅
Gold Category renewals set for the #HBLPSL Player Auction 2026.#NewEra pic.twitter.com/0hkT7V9ppC
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) January 27, 2026
Silver and emerging categories finalised
The Silver category features 16 players, with the Multan Sultans showing the most confidence in their squad by retaining six.
Lahore Qalandars have retained three, Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi have two each, while Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators have retained one player each in this bracket.
Furthermore, the Emerging category includes 14 promising national players, ensuring a focus on youth development.
Each franchise has secured the services of two to three young talents for the upcoming season.
Glimpse at retained talent
Islamabad United: Saad Masood, Mohammad Shahzad, Ghazi Gouri.
Peshawar Zalmi: Abdullah Fazal, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat.
Karachi Kings: Razaullah, Fawad Ali, Saad Baig.
Multan Sultans: Shahid Aziz, Mohammad Zulfikal.
Quetta Gladiators: Mohammad Zeeshan, Shamyl Hussain.
Lahore Qalandars: Momin Qamar.
Silver Category retainees
Multan Sultans: Yasir Khan, Amir Barki, Mohammad Junaid, Humayun Altaf, Ali Imran, Jahanzaib Sultan, Ubaid Shah.
Lahore Qalandars: Mohammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Naeem, Mohammad Azab.
Islamabad United: Mohammad Faiq, Hunain Shah.
Peshawar Zalmi: Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz.
Quetta Gladiators: Ali Majid.
The next generation of the #NewEra ✨
Silver and Emerging Category renewals locked in for the #HBLPSL Player Auction 2026.#NewEra pic.twitter.com/Ie1uJonrcE
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) January 27, 2026
Gold category retainees
Multan Sultans: Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Faisal Akram, Akif Javed, Tayyab Tahir.
Lahore Qalandars: Zaman Khan, Jahandad Khan, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali.
Islamabad United: Azam Khan, Haider Ali, Salman Irshad, Rumman Raees.
Peshawar Zalmi: Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Ali, Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat, Sufyan Muqeem, Ahmed Daniyal, Ihsanullah.
Quetta Gladiators: Khurram Shahzad, Haseebullah Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Hassan Nawaz, Danish Aziz.
Karachi Kings: Khushdil Shah, Aamer Jamal, Irfan Khan Niazi, Mir Hamza, Zahid Mahmood, Omair bin Yousuf, Shahnawaz Dahani, Arafat Minhas.
Setting the stage for a historic auction
These retentions define the core around which franchises will build their squads at the inaugural PSL Player Auction on February 11.
The released players from these six teams, along with all new signings, will enter the auction pool.
They will be joined by players from the two new franchises, Hyderabad and Sialkot, as the league expands to eight teams for its historic 11th edition, which begins on March 26.
The shift from a draft to an auction marks a new strategic era for team building in the PSL.
