The Pakistan Super League has set January 13, 2027 as the date by which all eight franchises must file their player retention lists for PSL 12, ahead of a player auction on January 23.
The league confirmed the cut-off on its official social channels. Teams will lock in retained players first, then enter the auction that follows ten days later.
Lahore workshop locks in squad rules
The announcement came a day after franchise representatives met at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a tournament operations workshop. Chaired by PSL chief executive Salman Naseer, the session covered retentions, direct signings, trading windows, squad sizes and salary caps.
All eight sides unanimously backed the key rules on squad building and recruitment for the new season. The PSL 12 auction regulations were also reviewed clause by clause and approved without dissent.
Under the agreed framework, each franchise may retain a maximum of seven players. That total includes any player brought in through a direct signing. Teams that keep the full seven must release one player from the highest price category of the previous auction into the general pool, so high-profile names stay available to rivals and competition in squad building is stronger.
Salary cap, spending floor and direct signings
Each franchise will operate under a salary cap of Rs45 crore (about USD 1.6 million). That limit rises to Rs50.5 crore if a side makes a direct signing, keeps its previous season’s direct signing, or does both. Every team must also spend at least Rs36.5 crore (about USD 1.3 million) on its squad.
The direct signing window remains open until November 23, 2026. Each franchise may sign one marquee player who did not play in either PSL 10 or PSL 11.
The January 13 retention deadline is timed around the domestic calendar. It falls after the National T20 Silver competition ends and during the National T20 Gold tournament, so franchises can judge emerging talent on recent form before they decide whom to keep.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- November 23, 2026: Direct signing window closes for marquee recruits who sat out PSL 10 and PSL 11.
- January 13, 2027: All eight franchises must submit their retention lists.
- January 23: PSL 12 player auction — only the second auction in the league’s history.
Aasan alfaaz mein
PSL 12 ke liye har team ko 13 January 2027 tak apni retention list deni hogi. Auction 23 January ko hoga. Har franchise zyada se zyada saat players rakh sakti hai. Squad par kharch ka limit 45 crore rupay hai, is liye fans ke liye auction aur team changes clear tareeqay se samajh aayenge.
