Lahore Qalandars confirm retained players fees for PSL 11

KARACHI: Defending champions Lahore Qalandars on Wednesday announced the retention fees for their four retained players ahead of the historic 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 3.

The franchise shared the details through their official Instagram handle, confirming the retention fees for captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza and young opener Mohammad Naeem.

Shaheen has been retained in the Platinum category with a fee of PKR 70 million, while Abdullah, who falls under the Diamond category, will earn PKR 22 million. 

Sikandar Raza, retained in the Gold category, secured PKR 28 million, whereas Mohammad Naeem, selected from the Emerging category, will receive PKR 7 million.

For the upcoming auction, franchises have been allotted a total budget of PKR 450 million. Qalandars have so far spent PKR 127 million on their retained players.

On Tuesday, Lahore Qalandars had confirmed their list of retained players ahead of the PSL 11 players’ auction, which is scheduled for February 11.

The 11th edition of the PSL will mark a significant shift in the league’s player selection process, as the traditional draft system has been replaced by an auction-based model for the first time in the tournament’s history.

Previously, franchises were allowed to retain up to eight players — a rule that remained in place for the first 10 seasons. 

Under the revised regulations, teams are now permitted to retain only four players across different categories, presenting a fresh challenge for franchises ahead of the auction.

A total of 13 players were placed across various categories. The Platinum category featured Shaheen Afridi, Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf, while Momin Qamar was included in the Emerging category. 

The Silver category comprised Mohammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Naeem and Mohammad Azab. 

Meanwhile, the Gold category included Zaman Khan, Jahandad Khan, Asif Afridi and Asif Ali. Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Salman Mirza were listed in the Diamond category.

The upcoming edition will also witness a major expansion of the league, with the Pakistan Super League set to grow from six to eight teams. 

Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallionz are the newest additions to the PSL family and will make their debut in the forthcoming season.

The Hyderabad franchise was acquired by Mr Fawad Sarwar, who secured ownership after placing a successful bid of Rs 1.75 billion (approximately $6.25 million). 

Meanwhile, the Sialkot Stallionz franchise was won by Mr Hamza Majeed, who topped the auction with a bid of Rs 1.85 billion to lead the team into their inaugural PSL campaign.

For the unversed, the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League will kick off on March 26 and conclude on May 3.