PSL 12 set to run from March 18 to May 2 next year

The 12th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held from March 18 to May 2 next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday.

The window was finalised after consultations with owners and representatives of all eight franchises at a PSL Governing Council meeting in London on September 1, according to the PCB.

The board said details of the schedule, venues and ticketing arrangements would be announced later.

Preparations for the new season will include direct signings, player retentions, a trade window and the player auction.

PSL 12 will follow an expanded 2026 season, when the league featured eight teams for the first time after the addition of Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz. The tournament also shifted from the draft system to a player auction for the first time.

The inaugural auction in February saw 103 players sold to the eight franchises. The PCB later said players retained or acquired at the auction would be on two-year contracts covering the 11th and 12th editions, with franchises allowed to retain up to seven players for the next season.

The 2026 season ended with Peshawar Zalmi winning their second PSL title after defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on May 3.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the previous edition had set a high benchmark for the league.

“HBL PSL 11 showed the world what this league is capable of – thrilling moments that had the whole nation transfixed, record crowds, record broadcasts,” he said.

“HBL PSL 12 will raise the bar further,” Naqvi added, reiterating the PCB’s commitment to another season featuring all eight franchises.

PSL CEO Salman Naseer said the announcement marked the beginning of preparations for the next season, with squad-building milestones to follow in the coming months.