The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be expanding to eight teams by 2026, marking the end of the current six-team format after the upcoming 2025 season. This expansion has been anticipated since the agreement between the PCB and PSL franchises to delay further expansion until after the league’s tenth season. The process of selecting the cities for the new teams has yet to commence.
The upcoming years pose significant challenges for the PSL, particularly with the expiration of the ten-year lease ownership agreements with franchise owners in 2025. Although Multan Sultans joined the league in 2018, their lease is also up for renewal next year. Franchise owners have the right of first refusal, meaning ownership changes only occur if the current owners decline to match the franchise’s valuation.
Another contentious issue is the scheduling of the PSL from the next season onwards. With the Champions Trophy slated for the traditional PSL window in February-March and other T20 leagues encroaching on its territory, the PCB is considering moving the PSL to April and May. However, this proposal faces opposition from some franchises concerned about player availability and competition with the Indian Premier League (IPL). The PCB is offering concessions such as tweaking player recruitment rules and providing fiscal space for franchises to sign marquee players independently to address these concerns.
The PSL’s broadcast partnership ending in 2025 adds to the significance of the next season as a test case for hosting the league simultaneously with the IPL. The expansion to eight teams also necessitates a larger window, potentially limiting the availability of overseas players who are not selected for the IPL due to the financial disparity between the two leagues.
