Pakistan’s premier franchise T20 league, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) saw its first-ever player auction ahead of the 11th edition. The auction saw teams reshuffle their squads along with addition of two more teams in the tournament. At the PSL 2026 auction, there were some landmark bids including that of Australian stalwart Steven Smith, who went on to become the most expensive player in the auction tournament history.
Smith was directly signed by the new franchise in Sialkot Stallionz for PKR 14 Crore. With this massive sum, Smith will earn almost twice the salary of Babar Azam, who will get PKR 7 Crore after he was retained by Peshawar Zalmi. Among the Pakistani players, Naseem Shah was the most expensive national player, who sealed PKR 8.65 Crore deal from Rawalpindi.
Apart from this, the auction in Lahore also attracted some top overseas players including David Warner, Adam Zampa, Devon Conway, Marnus Labuschagne and others. In all, a total of 103 players were signed across the eight franchises.
Top 10 highest paid players in PSL
| Rank | Player | Price (PKR) | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steven Smith | 14 Crore | Sialkot Stallionz |
| 2 | Naseem Shah | 8.65 Crore | Rawalpindi |
| 3 | Faheem Ashraf | 8.5 Crore | Islamabad United |
| 4 | Daryl Mitchell | 8.05 Crore | Rawalpindi |
| 5 | Fakhar Zaman | 7.95 Crore | Lahore Qalandars |
| 6 | David Warner | 7.9 Crore | Karachi Kings |
| 7 | Haris Rauf | 7.6 Crore | Lahore Qalandars |
| 8 | Mark Chapman | 7 Crore | Islamabad United |
| 9 | Khawaja Nafay | 6.5 Crore | Islamabad United |
| 10 | Moeen Ali | 6.44 Crore | Karachi Kings |
| 10 | Mustafizur Rahman | 6.44 Crore | Lahore Qalandars |
PSL FAQs
Who is the most expensive player in PSL history?
Australian batter Steven Smith has become the most exxpensive player in PSL history after he was signed by Sialkot Stallionz for PKR 14 Crore.
For which team will Steven Smith play in PSL 2026?
Steven Smith will be playing for Sialkot Stallionz after he sealed a PKR 14 Crore deal at the auction.
When will PSL 2026 be played?
The PSL 2026 will commence from March 26, 2026 with the final scheduled for May 3.
