Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf Set New Records at PSL’s Inaugural Auction

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) ushered in a new era with its first-ever player auction, making headlines as Naseem Shah and Faheem Ashraf commanded unprecedented fees. Naseem Shah, previously with Islamabad United, secured a record PKR 86.5 million move to the newly established Rawalpindi franchise. Meanwhile, Faheem Ashraf made a lucrative return to Islamabad United for PKR 85 million, reflecting the intense competition among franchises to secure top-tier talent.

Major Moves and Franchise Strategies

This inaugural auction saw a significant reduction in permitted player retentions-from eight down to four-forcing teams to rethink their squad-building strategies. As a result, many franchises prioritized reacquiring familiar faces to reinforce their core lineups and capitalize on established chemistry.

Key Player Transfers and Retentions

David Warner rejoined Karachi Kings for PKR 79 million and will lead the team in 2025.
Lahore Qalandars retained Fakhar Zaman for PKR 79.5 million and successfully bid PKR 76 million to bring back Haris Rauf.
Rilee Rossouw returned to Quetta Gladiators-where he helped clinch the 2022 title-for PKR 55 million.
Hasan Ali also made his way back to Karachi Kings for PKR 47.6 million.

International Stars Command Top Prices

International players attracted heated interest during the auction. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell was the subject of an intense bidding war, ultimately joining Rawalpindi for PKR 80.5 million. Mark Chapman also drew significant attention, with Islamabad United securing his services for PKR 70 million. Among Australian signings, Adam Zampa joined Karachi Kings for PKR 45 million, while veteran Peter Siddle earned a PKR 25 million contract after impressive BBL performances.

Emerging Talent and Noteworthy Selections

The auction underscored the PSL’s growing international appeal, with the Houston-based Hyderabad Kingsmen making strategic signings to bolster their identity as a Pakistan-American franchise. The Kingsmen brought in Marnus Labuschagne through a direct signing, retained promising batter Saim Ayub, and added USA internationals Hammad Azam and Shayan Jahangir. Notably, Ubaid Shah, Naseem’s youngest brother, will now play for Lahore Qalandars, and Hunain Shah found a place with Hyderabad Kingsmen after initially going unsold.

Spotlight on Domestic Talent

Pakistani domestic players saw limited demand, save for a few standouts. Sameer Minhas, who played a key role in Pakistan’s U19 Asia Cup victory, ignited a bidding tussle before Islamabad United secured him for PKR 19 million. In contrast, Shahnawaz Dahani, a PSL breakout star, surprisingly went unpicked.

Complete Team Squads After the Auction

Hyderabad Houston Kings

Marnus Labuschagne, Saim Ayub, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Usman Khan, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Ottniel Baartman, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Hunain Shah, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Ali, Tayyab Arif

Islamabad United

Devon Conway, Shadab Khan, Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Max Bryant, Mark Chapman, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameen Gul, Sameer Minhas, Shamar Joseph, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Dipendra Singh Airee

Karachi Kings

Moeen Ali, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, David Warner, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Johnson Charles, Muhammad Waseem, Ihsanullah, Rizwanullah

Lahore Qalandars

Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Naeem, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Fakhar Zaman, Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Farooq, Dasun Shanaka, Parvez Hussain Emon, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Tayyab Tahir, Gudakesh Motie

Rawalpindi

Mohammad Rizwan, Sam Billings, Zaman Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Dian Forrestor, Laurie Evans, Asif Afridi, Kamran Ghulam, Fawad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Shahzaib Khan

Peshawar Zalmi

Aaron Hardie, Babar Azam, Sufyan Moqim, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aamir Jamal, Khuram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, James Vince, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mirza Tahir Baig, Kashif Ali

Quetta Gladiators

Spencer Johnson, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamyl Hussain, Rilee Rossouw, Faisal Akram, Arafat Minhas, Jahandad Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Wasim Akram Jnr, Khan Zaib, Bismillah Khan, Saqib Khan, Brett Hampton, Sam Harper, Bevon Jacobs, Saud Shakeel, Ben McDermott, Tom Curran

Sialkot Stallionz

Steve Smith, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal, Saad Masood, Jahanzaib Sultan, Sahibzada Farhan, Ashton Turner, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Phillippe, Shan Masood, Momin Qamar, Muhammad Awais Zafar

The landmark auction has set new benchmarks in the PSL, with record-breaking fees, strategic squad reshuffling, and a strong blend of international and local stars primed to light up the coming season.