KEY POINTS
- Franchise retention is now limited to four players, down from eight previously.
- Islamabad United, Quatta Gladiators, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi released key stars.
- The league expands to eight teams with the debut of Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallionz.
LAHORE: Former champions Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi unveiled their shortlists of retained players on Tuesday.
The announcements come just days before the league’s inaugural player auction, scheduled for February 11, marking a significant departure from its traditional draft system.
For the first time in the league’s decade-long history, player acquisition will transition from a draft to an auction model. Accompanying this shift is a stricter retention policy.
Previously, franchises could retain up to eight players. Under the revised regulations for PSL 11, each team is limited to retaining only four players, one from each of the Platinum, Diamond, Gold, and Silver/Emerging categories, forcing franchises into strategic calculations ahead of the open bidding.
Islamabad United’s strategic picks
Three-time champions, Islamabad United, placed 15 players in their retention pool across categories. After careful consideration, the franchise opted to retain three key figures:
Platinum: Captain Shadab Khan (All-rounder)
Gold: Pacer Salman Irshad
Silver: USA’s wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous
More big news coming soon 🔜 @76Shadabkhan – Platinum@Salman150kph – Gold@Gousie08 – Silver
These are the 3 retentions for #HBLPSL season 11. #UnitedWeWin #SherusRetained #NewEra #DimaghSe pic.twitter.com/5B7kQI7cFW
— Islamabad United (@IsbUnited) February 3, 2026
The United decided not to retain a player from the Diamond or Emerging categories, leaving notable names like Naseem Shah, Imad Wasim, and Azam Khan potentially available for other franchises in the auction.
Quetta Gladiators build for the future
The fourth-edition winners, Quetta Gladiators, placed 14 players in their retention matrix. Their selections reflect a blend of proven talent and emerging potential:
Platinum: Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed
Diamond: All-rounder Usman Tariq
Gold: Batter Hassan Nawaz
Emerging: Youngster Shamyl Hussain
⚔️💜 Retained. Reloaded. Ready.
🟣 Abrar Ahmed
🟣 Usman Tariq
🟣 Hassan Nawaz
🟣 Shamyl HussainSeason 11 is locked in 👊🏼 @thePSLt20 #PurpleForce #HBLPSLNewEra pic.twitter.com/ObKC8y7yIj
— Quetta Gladiators (@TeamQuetta) February 3, 2026
The Gladiators’ choices mean established stars like Mohammad Amir and Saud Shakeel will enter the auction pool, setting the stage for intense bidding.
Qalandars lock in leadership and power
Confronted with the tough new rules, the Qalandars placed 13 players in their retention pool. The franchise opted to build around a core of proven match-winners and emerging talent:
Platinum: Captain and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi
Diamond: Star opening batter Abdullah Shafique
Gold: Veteran Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza
Silver: Promising talent Mohammad Naeem
Notably, the team chose not to retain a player from the Emerging category, leaving space for new acquisitions. This decision means prolific players like Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf will enter the general auction pool, potentially sparking intense bidding wars among rival franchises.
Presenting the Qalandars Fource 👊🏼@iShaheenAfridi (Platinum)@imabd28 (Diamond) @SRazaB24 (Gold)@MNaeemMangal20 (Silver)
Retentions ✅
Bring on the Auction now. #Number1TeamForAReason #QalandarDilSe pic.twitter.com/qGu6zWYUyj— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) February 3, 2026
Zalmi’s strategic selections
Confronted with this challenging new model, the second edition champions Peshawar Zalmi placed 14 players in their retention pool. The franchise opted for a blend of established star power and promising young talent, retaining:
Platinum: Skipper and batting maestro Babar Azam
Diamond: Promising all-rounder Sufiyan Muqeem
Gold: Dynamic hitter Abdul Samad
Emerging: Young pacer Ali Raza
These selections mean that high-profile names such as Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris, along with pacers Ihsanullah and Mohammad Ali, will now enter the general auction pool, potentially becoming prime targets for rival franchises and the two new teams.
Locked in and confirmed 💛🔒
Here’s the Yellow Storm Retentions shaping up for #HBLPSL11 💛⚡@babarazam258 (Platinum)@RealSufiyan_M (Diamond)@abdulsams60 (Gold)
Ali Raza (Emerging)#Zalmi #YellowStorm #HBLPSLAuction pic.twitter.com/wQiObhnlb9— Peshawar Zalmi (@PeshawarZalmi) February 3, 2026
Expansion and excitement build for PSL 11
The upcoming season is historic not only for its new auction format but also for a major expansion.
The league will grow from six to eight teams with the debut of the Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallionz franchises.
These teams were secured for Rs 1.75 billion and Rs 1.85 billion, respectively, in a high-profile bidding process last month.
The player auction on February 11 is now the centre of attention, where all franchises, including the two new entrants, will compete to build their squads.
PSL 11 is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3, promising an extended season of premier T20 cricket.
