PSL to Include Two New Teams in Next Year’s Edition

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to broaden its horizons, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) verifying intentions to present two additional teams for the forthcoming 11th tournament.

However, ambiguity has emerged concerning the cities under consideration for these new franchises.

Sources have clarified that the potential cities being shared across social media platforms, attributed to PSL CEO Salman Naseer, such as Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas, Sialkot, and Faisalabad, have not been formally confirmed as new franchise locations.

Reportedly, these cities were mentioned for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as definitive selections.

The sources also underscored that the final decision regarding the cities for the new teams remains pending. An official announcement will be made to the public in due course.

Notably, a franchise bidding process will occur. Following the conclusion of the bidding, the winning bidders will be provided with various options.

These options will include a list of prospective cities, granting the bidders the ultimate decision on their preferred city.

The PSL, which commenced in 2016 with five teams—Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, and Quetta Gladiators—expanded to six teams in 2018 with the inclusion of Multan Sultans.

As the ongoing 10th edition approaches its conclusion, Multan Sultans have been eliminated, while Quetta Gladiators have secured their spot in the PSL 10 playoffs. Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar are vying for the remaining playoff positions.

The current points table shows Quetta Gladiators leading with five victories and 11 points, closely followed by Islamabad and Karachi, each holding 10 points. Lahore is in fourth place with nine points, and Peshawar Zalmi completes the top five with eight points.

Looking forward, the 11th edition of the PSL is once again anticipated to coincide with the Indian Premier League (IPL), with both tournaments scheduled for April and May.

This scheduling conflict arises because the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is slated to begin in February.