PSL moves to player auction model in historic reform

The PSL will move to an auction-based recruitment league, scrapping the draft system it has used since its inception a decade ago. After months of uncertainty and contention between the franchises and the league regarding the best way to fill up player rosters, it was determined that a complete overhaul was required.

The PCB had previously toyed with the idea of a draft, or even a system between a draft and auction which they called a "drauction", before ultimately settling on a complete overhaul. An official statement from the PCB said the move was aimed at "enhancing competitive balance, increasing transparency, and providing players' greater earning opportunities".

There are also significant changes to the player retention rules. Until now, each of the six franchises could retain up to eight players in their squads the previous season. That became untenable with the introduction of two new sides, Hyderabad and Sialkot, and disagreements broke out at Friday's general council meeting between some of the existing sides who wished to hold onto most of their best performers, and the new arrivals who wished to draw from a higher quality pool of player.

On this matter, the PSL has tried to find a middle ground. The number of retentions have been slashed by half to four, with only one retention per category allowed. That means, for example, that if Lahore Qalandars wished to hold on to both Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf - who have only ever played for them - this would only be possible if both were not named in the highest Platinum category, or the same category across the board. The four retentions would permit just one player in the Platinum Category, with the same rule applying to the Diamond, Gold and Silver Categories. Player placement within categories has not yet been announced.

The unpicked players who then drop into the open pool will be made available to Hyderabad and Sialkot, with each franchise allowed to sign four players before the auction begins, putting them on the same page with the existing four franchises. Whether those players will be selected via a "draft" system where each side picks players turn-by-turn has not yet been clarified.

Each side will also be allowed to sign one player directly, outside of the auction system, with the value of team purses raised to USD 1.6 million, up from about USD 1.1 million in the past. Direct signings are only applicable for players who did not participate in the PSL the previous year.

The reforms represent the biggest changes to the player recruitment structure in its history. It will lead to the greatest player migration between teams the league has seen with the drastically reduced recruitment rules. There had been pushback to some of these changes in meetings between PCB officials and the sides in the past, which was partly why ultimate resolution has been left to relatively late.

The date for such an auction is yet to be confirmed, as has the ownership structure of Multan Sultans. The PCB initially announced it would run the team this season after previous owner Ali Tareen opted not to renew his lease, before deciding to put it up for auction after Hyderabad and Sialkot's selling prices vastly exceeded expectations. The deadline for submission of technical bids is 30 January.