LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has opened the player transfer window for the upcoming 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), giving franchises a limited window to reshuffle their squads before the tournament begins.
The trade window will remain active until March 18, just one week before the eight-team tournament is set to get underway.
During this period, the eight participating franchises have been authorised to engage in player trades, strictly adhering to tournament regulations and existing salary cap rules.
The PCB has outlined three primary methods for player movement: Player for Player trades, Player for Money trades, and a combination of Player for Player and Money trades.
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#HBLPSL | #NewEra pic.twitter.com/bm2QKVMhg7— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 12, 2026
Mechanisms for player movement
According to the regulations set by the board, the trade formats offer flexibility for teams looking to balance their squads or free up financial space.
A Player for Player trade allows two franchises to directly swap cricketers, provided they fit within similar salary cap brackets.
Alternatively, a Player for Money trade permits a team to transfer a player to another franchise in exchange for a mutually agreed financial amount.
The third option, the Player for Player and Money trade, is a hybrid model. In this scenario, franchises may exchange players, with one side also receiving an additional financial sum as part of the overall agreement.
All eight franchises are mandated to ensure that any trades completed do not breach their respective salary caps.
The final approval of these financial adjustments rests with the PCB, which will review and finalise all transactions after the trade window closes.
Special exemption granted to Multan Sultans
In a significant development separate from the trade window, the league has announced a special exemption for Multan Sultans.
Following approval from all other participating teams, the franchise has been granted an incremental increase of PKR 1.2 crore to its salary cap.
Furthermore, the Sultans have been permitted to make two additional signings, expanding their maximum squad size to 22 players.
However, they will remain bound by the standard matchday squad limit of 20 players, consistent with the other franchises.
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#HBLPSL | #NewEra pic.twitter.com/Dedf8h5XtN— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 10, 2026
The exemption comes in light of ‘exceptional circumstances’ surrounding the franchise’s recent ownership change.
The 2021 champions were initially set to miss the upcoming edition after being rebranded as Pindiz, following their acquisition by Walee Technologies at a franchise auction last month.
In a late twist, Gohar Shah’s CD Ventures, the runner-up bidder for the Sultans, acquired the majority shares of Sialkot Stallionz, one of the two new teams added to the league in January.
After securing the franchise for Rs 200 million last week, CD Ventures promptly rebranded the team, restoring the Multan Sultans identity for PSL 11.
