Australian batter Steve Smith has become the most expensive player in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) history, as a direct signing for Sialkot Stallions for PKR 14 crore (approx. INR 4.5 crore).
The PSL
will feature eight teams this season after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expanded the competition from six franchises and introduced a players’ auction for the first time, ending the draft system that had been in place since the league’s inception.
The inaugural auction under the new format took place in Lahore on Wednesday and attracted high-profile overseas cricketers like David Warner, Adam Zampa, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mustafizur Rahman, Devon Conway, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Mendis and Marnus Labuschagne.
Across the auction, 103 players were secured by the eight franchises. Fast bowler Naseem Shah became the costliest Pakistani acquisition, with Islamabad United signing him for PKR 8.65 crore (INR 2.80 crore). The franchise also invested heavily in all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, who was bought for PKR 8.5 crore (INR 2.75 crore).
Babar Azam was retained by Peshawar Zalmi for PKR 7 crore (INR 2.28 crore). However, the biggest retention deal belonged to his teammate Saim Ayub, who was kept on by the same franchise for PKR 12.2 crore (INR 3.95 crore).
The upcoming PSL season is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3 and will overlap directly with the Indian Premier League (IPL). This is the second time such a clash will happen, which has made the PSL go-to destination for stars who go unsold at the IPL or are worried about game time in the more competitive environment.
The expansion includes two new teams, Sialkot and Hyderabad. Meanwhile, Multan Sultans has changed hands and will now operate as Rawalpindi following its acquisition by new owners.
Smith heading to 2026 T20 World Cup
It has been a whirlwind few days for Smith. On Wednesday, he was also announced as a replacement for Australia captain Mitchell Marsh, who picked up a serious groin injury, in the T20 World Cup squad.
The credit goes to a change of perception about his T20I game after a stunning season in the Big Bash League, where he scored 299 runs at a strike-rate of 167.97.
