Buckle up, cricket fansโthe tenth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2025) is set to take off on April 10th, featuring 34 thrilling matches across five cities, all leading up to a grand finale on May 25th. But thereโs a twist this year: the tournament has been pushed back in the calendar to accommodate the Champions Trophy, which Pakistan is also hosting. And for the first time ever, the PSL will find itself going head-to-head with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
That scheduling clash isnโt ideal for PSL teams looking to sign overseas stars. With IPL franchises offering bigger paychecks, Pakistanโs premier T20 league had to settle for players who went unsold in the 2025 IPL Player Auction. But that doesnโt mean thereโs no star powerโsome big names are still heading to Pakistan, strengthening each PSL squad with world-class talent.
Another major shake-up: this will be the final edition of the PSL with just six teams. Two new franchises will join the party in 2026, making this the last season with the current lineup, meaning each PSL squad will be looking to make history before expansion changes the landscape.
PSL squad building for 2025 started with the franchises retaining their biggest and most experienced players before turning to the draft to fill out their rosters. The PSL draft, held in January, proved to be a golden opportunity for those left without IPL contracts, particularly New Zealanders Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell, who are making their PSL debuts. Joining them in their first-ever PSL season are Australian legend David Warner and West Indian speedster Alzarri Joseph, adding depth to each PSL squad.
With fresh faces, high stakes, and a battle for T20 supremacy against the IPL, PSL squads are gearing up for an intense season. PSL 2025 promises to be one of the most intriguing editions yet!
Read more: 2025 PSL 10 Opening Ceremony: Time, Tickets, Artists and More
PSL 2025: What You Need to Know
- Tournament Dates: April 10 โ May 25, 2025 (Later than usual due to the Champions Trophy).
- Venues: 34 matches across five cities.
- Clash with the IPL: PSL will compete with the Indian Premier League for the first time.
- Player Recruitment Challenge: Unable to match IPL salaries, PSL teams had to sign players who went unsold in the IPL auction.
- Last Season with 6 Teams: Two new franchises will be added in 2026.
- Player Retention & Draft:
- Teams kept their biggest stars, then filled squads via the PSL draft (held in January).
- New Zealanders Kane Williamson & Daryl Mitchell make their PSL debut.
- David Warner (Australia) & Alzarri Joseph (West Indies) also join the league for the first time.
PSL Squad 2025 Rules & Player Categories
The PSL draft system ensures a balanced distribution of talent, allowing teams to build competitive squads without the financial dominance seen in the IPL. By categorizing players based on experience and performance, the league maintains fair competition while giving young local talents a platform to shine.
Player Retention & Squad Rules
- Each team could retain up to 8 players from last season.
- Three teams (Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, and Peshawar Zalmi) retained only 7 players, while the rest kept the maximum.
- Squads can have 16 to 20 players, with a mix of local and overseas players.
- A playing XI can feature a maximum of 4 overseas players, the rest must be locals.
PSL Draft System vs. IPL Auction
| Feature | PSL Draft | IPL Auction |
|---|---|---|
| Player Selection | Teams take turns selecting players | Teams bid, highest bidder wins |
| Budget | Lower salary caps, controlled spending | Higher salaries, no spending cap |
| Fairness | Weaker teams from last season get first pick | Teams with bigger budgets have an advantage |
| Competitiveness | Every team has won the title at least once | Some IPL teams have never won |
PSL Player Categories
Players in the PSL draft are divided into six categories based on skill level and market value:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Platinum | Elite local & international stars with the highest value |
| Diamond | Just below Platinum; high-performing players |
| Gold | Proven, solid performers |
| Silver | Rising talents with good records |
| Emerging | Young local players with big potential |
| Supplementary | Backup players for squad depth or injury cover |
PSL 2025 All Teams & Squads
(Key: bat = batter; bowl = bowler; ar = all-rounder; wk = wicketkeeper)
1. Islamabad United Squad 2025ย
Islamabad United are the defending champions โ their victory over the Multan Sultans last year made them the only side to have won the PSL three times. Owned by Leonine Global Investment Ltd through its sportsโ subsidiary, Leonine Global Sports, the franchise has a new head coach for 2025 in the form of Mike Hesson. He is a former coach of the New Zealand cricket team and, more recently, was a Director of the IPL side, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Defending Champions
- Islamabad United are the only team to have won the PSL three times, claiming their latest title by defeating Multan Sultans last year.
- Owned by Leonine Global Investment Ltd (through its subsidiary Leonine Global Sports).
- New Head Coach: Mike Hesson (former New Zealand coach, ex-Director of IPLโs Royal Challengers Bengaluru).
Squad Breakdown
| Category | Players | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | Shadab Khan (ar, captain), Matthew Short (bat), Naseem Shah (bowl) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ฆ๐บ Australia, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Diamond | Imad Wasim (ar), Azam Khan (wk), Jason Holder (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ป๐จ West Indies |
| Gold | Ben Dwarshuis (bowl), Colin Munro (bat), Haider Ali (bat) | ๐ฆ๐บ Australia, ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Silver | Andries Gous (bat), Mohammad Nawaz (ar), Salman Irshad (bowl), Salman Ali Agha (ar), Rumman Raees (bowl) | ๐บ๐ธ USA, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Emerging | Saad Masood (ar), Hunain Shah (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Supplementary | Rassie van der Dussen (bat), Riley Meredith (bowl) | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa, ๐ฆ๐บ Australia |
(ar = All-rounder, bat = Batsman, bowl = Bowler, wk = Wicketkeeper-batsman)
Retentions & New Signings
Among their retention from last year, captain Shadah Khan and Nassem Shah remain in the Diamond category, and they will be supplanted by the Australian Matthew Short, who is set to make his debut in the competition. Former West Indian captain Jason Holder is another of the imports this season.
| Category | Players | Nationality | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| โ Retained | Shadab Khan (captain) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan | Platinum category |
| Naseem Shah | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan | Platinum category | |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Matthew Short | ๐ฆ๐บ Australia | PSL debut |
| Jason Holder | ๐ป๐จ West Indies | Former West Indies captain, all-rounder |
Strengths and weaknesses
Islamabad United will begin the season as one of the favourites to retain the title, especially as they have one of the strongest fast bowling attacks, and can also boast a strong batting line-up. Their lack of spin options though could be exposed on turning pitches.
Player to watch
Rassie van der Dussen is an experienced franchise cricketer, having previously played in the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals and in the PSL for the Qalandarโs. This will be his second spell back with United, and they will hope that his ability to score runs quickly in the middle of an innings will prove an asset. Already fourth on the list of all-time PSL run scorers, the South African could yet pass several of the names above him by the end of the season.
2. Karachi Kings Squad 2025ย
2020, when they won it, remains the only time that the Karachi Kings have appeared in the PSL final. Last year they failed to make the play-offs, losing six of their ten group matches. Owned by the ARY Group โ who also own Pakistanโs first HD sports channel, ASports, their head coach is the former West Indian cricketer Phil Simmons. Shan Masood is their new captain for this season.
- PSL Titles: 1 (2020) โ their only final appearance.
- 2024 Performance: Failed to make the playoffs, winning 4 out of 10 matches.
- Owner: ARY Group (also owns Pakistanโs first HD sports channel, ASports).
- Head Coach: Phil Simmons (Former West Indian cricketer).
- Captain: Shan Masood (New for 2025).
Squad Breakdown
| Category | Players | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | David Warner (bat), Adam Fraser Milne (bowl), Abbas Afridi (bowl) | ๐ฆ๐บ Australia, ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Diamond | James Vince (bat), Khushdil Shah (ar), Hassan Ali (bowl) | ๐ฌ๐ง England, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Gold | Shan Masood (bat, captain), Irfan Khan Niazi (ar), Amir Jamal (bowl) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Silver | Tim Seiffert (wk/bat), Zahir Mehmood (bat), Mir Hamza (bowl), Litton Das (wk/bat) | ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ง๐ฉ Bangladesh |
| Emerging | Muhammad Riazullah (bat), Fawad Ali (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Supplementary | Kane Williamson (bat), Mohammad Nabi (ar), Umair Bin Youssef (bat), Mamoom Imtiaz (ar) | ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, ๐ฆ๐ซ Afghanistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
Retentions & New Signings
Key retention from last year include Abbas Ali among their Diamond players, and new captain Mahmood, although he was downgraded from Diamond to Gold. David Warner will play in the PSL for the first time, as will New Zealand test captain Kane Williamson.
| Category | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| โ Retained | Abbas Afridi | Retained in Diamond category |
| โ Retained | Shan Masood (captain) | Downgraded from Diamond to Gold |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | David Warner (Australia) | First PSL season |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Kane Williamson (New Zealand) | First PSL season |
Strengths and weaknesses
The Kings believe that they have a well-balanced team with hard hitters like Warner, like Warner, Vince and captain Masood, supplemented by strong bowlers like Hasan Ali. However, their spin options may not be as deep as they would like
Player to watch
Now that his international career has ended, David Warner is free to concentrate on his franchise career. Snubbed by the IPL this time round, he will be keen to show that he can still be a major star at this level.
3. Lahore Qalandars Squad 2025
For a team that began the tournament as back-to-back champions, the 2024 PSL season was a major disappointment for the Lahore Qalandars, as they finished bottom of the table, winning just one match. The Qalandars are owned by Kausar Rana Resources Private Limited, who, in turn are owned by Fawad Rana. Whilst his brother Sameen is the team manager.ย Their coach for the new season will be former England fast bowler Darren Gough, who previously worked as a bowling coach with Yorkshire, and also served as a consultant with the English national team.
Shaheen Shah Afridi is their captain.
- PSL Titles: 2 (2022, 2023) โ back-to-back champions.
- 2024 Performance: Finished last, winning just 1 match.
- Owner: Kausar Rana Resources Pvt. Ltd. (Fawad Rana).
- Head Coach: Darren Gough (Former England fast bowler).
- Captain: Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Squad Breakdown
| Category | Players | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | Shaheen Shah Afridi (bowl), Fakhar Zaman (bat), Daryl Mitchell (bat) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand |
| Diamond | Haris Rauf (bowl), Sikandar Raza (ar), Kusal Perera (wk/bat) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe, ๐ฑ๐ฐ Sri Lanka |
| Gold | Abdullah Shafiq (bat), Jahandad Khan (bat), Zaman Khan (bowl) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Silver | David Wiese (ar), Asif Afridi (bowl), Asif Ali (ar), Rishad Hossein (ar) | ๐ณ๐ฆ Namibia, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ง๐ฉ Bangladesh |
| Emerging | Momim Qamar (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Supplementary | Tom Curran (bowl), Sam Billings (wk/bat), Mohammad Naeem | ๐ฌ๐ง England, ๐ฌ๐ง England, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
Retentions & New Signings
Despite their poor 2024, the qalandars took up their full quota of retention, with Shaheen Shah Afridi once more trusted to lead the side. David Wiese, the former Namibian international, will also return.
Daryl Mitchell is their major off-season recruit. The New Zealander has appeared in more than 140 international matches for his country, and is an accomplished limited overs cricketer. Big things will also be expected of Sri Lankaโs Kusal Perera, currently ranked inside the top ten batters in T20 cricket by the ICC.
| Category | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| โ Retained | Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain) | Leading the team again |
| โ Retained | David Wiese (Namibia) | Experienced all-rounder |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand) | Major signing, 140+ international matches |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka) | ICC top-10 T20 batter |
Strengths & Weaknesses
The Qalandars possess one of the finest fast bowling attacks in the league, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf supplemented by Fakhar Zaman and Wiese. However, their spin options are not so strong โ Rashid Khan was not available to them last season, and, this time round, the Afghan will be playing in the IPL. Another concern may also be whether there are enough runs in the side. Mitchell may find himself bearing too much responsibility in this squad.
Player to Watch
Shaheen Afridi needs 11 more scalps to go past the records of both Wahab Riaz and Hasan Ali to become the most successful wicket-taker in the history of the PSL, and few would bet against him achieving it in the 2025 edition of the tournament, having twice taken five wickets in an innings.
4. Multan Sultans Squad 2025ย
Although they won the PSL title in 2021, since then the Multan Sultans have become the โnearly menโ in the league, finishing runners-up in the last three finals. They have a new owner in the shape of Ali Khan Tareen. He had previously owned the franchise but gave the shares in 2018 to his uncle MS Alam Kahn Tareen. However, with the uncle having subsequently died, the shares have reverted to the nephew.
Abdul Rehman has succeeded Andy Flower as head coach, and has previously worked with the Sultans as an assistant coach. The Sultans have also made history by hiring the leagueโs first ever female coach. Catherine Dalton, a former Ireland fast bowler, will be their bowling coach for the coming season.
Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistanโs current white ball captain, leads the team again.
- PSL Titles: 1 (2021)
- Recent Performance: Runners-up for the last 3 seasons (2022, 2023, 2024)
- Owner: Ali Khan Tareen (Reclaimed ownership after his uncleโs passing)
- Head Coach: Abdul Rehman (Former assistant coach, now promoted)
- Historic Moment: First-ever female coach in PSL history โ Catherine Dalton (bowling coach)
- Captain: Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistanโs white-ball captain)
Squad Breakdown
| Category | Players | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | Mohammad Rizwan (wk/bat), Usama Mir (bowl), Michael Bracewell (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand |
| Diamond | David Willey (bowl), Usman Khan (bowl), Iftikhar Ahmed (ar) | ๐ด England, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Gold | Chris Jordan (bowl), Kamran Ghulam (ar), Mohammad Hasnain (bowl) | ๐ด England, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Silver | Josh Little (bowl), Faisal Akram (bowl), Akif Javed (bowl), Tayyab Tahir (bat), Gudakesh Motie (bowl) | ๐ฎ๐ช Ireland, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ป๐จ West Indies |
| Emerging | Shahid Aziz (bowl), Ubaid Shah (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Supplementary | Shai Hope (wk/bat), Johnson Charles (wk/bat), Yasir Khan (bat) | ๐ป๐จ West Indies, ๐ป๐จ West Indies, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
Retentions & New Signings
Although the Sultans did not take up their full allocation of retentions, they have still kept the nucleus of the side that reached the final last year, including Rizwan, their captain for the past two seasons, and the England duo of Willey and Jordan. Their oversea recruitment had a distinctly West Indian flavour to it, with Hope, Charles and Motie all joining the team.ย And Josh Little is set to become the first Irishman to play in the PSL.ย
| Category | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| โ Retained | Mohammad Rizwan (captain) | Key leader & wicketkeeper-batsman |
| โ Retained | David Willey & Chris Jordan (England) | Retained core bowling attack |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Josh Little (Ireland) | First Irish player in PSL history |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Gudakesh Motie, Shai Hope & Johnson Charles (West Indies) | Overseas signings with strong T20 experience |
Strengths and weaknesses
Having just missed out on the title for the past three years, the Sultans, led by Rizwan, will believe that they have what it takes to go one better this year. Injuries to key players have been a problem in recent seasons, so they need everybody to remain fit this time.
Player to watch
Mohammad Rizwan is a key player for the Sultans, not only for his leadership ability, but also for his dual skills as a wicket-keeper and batter.ย And, whilst he does not appear to have the range of shots necessary for a successful T20 career, his statistics belie that fact.
5. Peshawar Zalmi Squad 2025ย
For fans of Peshawar Zalmi their only title win back in 2017 will seem a long time ago, although they have been beaten finalists three times since. The franchise is owner by Javed Afridi, a prominent Pakistani businessman and entrepreneur. Their head coach is former West Indian cricketer Darren Sammy, whose associations with the franchise go back a long way. It was under his captaincy that Zalmi won that 2017 title.
Their captain is Babar Azam, who had previously captained the Karachi kings to the PSL in 2020, but was traded to Zalmi ahead of the 2023 season. Azam has endured a turbulent 18 months. The former captain was made a scapegoat for Pakistanโs failure at the 2023 World Cup, made to resign as captain in all three formats, only to have leadership of the white ball teams. However, after their failures at the T20 World Cup last year, not only was he relieved of the captaincy again, but he was even dropped briefly from the national team. However, he is now close to his best again.
- PSL Titles: 1 (2017)
- Recent Performance: Beaten finalists 3 times since their 2017 win
- Owner: Javed Afridi (Pakistani businessman & entrepreneur)
- Head Coach: Darren Sammy (Led Zalmi to their 2017 title as captain)
- Captain: Babar Azam (Leading PSL run-scorer)
Squad Breakdown
| Category | Players | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | Babar Azam (bat), Saim Ayub (bat), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (wk/bat) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ด England |
| Diamond | Corbin Bosch (ar), Mohammad Ali (wk/bat), Muhammad Ali (bowl) | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Gold | Naheed Rana (bat), Abdul Samad (bat), Hussain Talat (ar) | ๐ง๐ฉ Bangladesh, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Silver | Mehran Mumtaz, Sufyan Moqim, Arif Yakoob, Ahmed Daniyal, Najeeb Ullah Zadran | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ฆ๐ซ Afghanistan |
| Emerging | Ali Raza (bowl), Maaz Sadaqat (bat) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Supplementary | Alzarri Joseph (bowl) | ๐ป๐จ West Indies |
Retentions & New Signings
Another franchise to take their full quota of retention, Zalmi have chosen to keep the core Pakistani backbone of last season. And, whilst they have supplemented this with acquisitions, they have gone in a different direction to many other teams when it comes to the overseas stars they have brought in, going for lesser-known names like Tom Kohler Cadmore and the South African Bosch. In the case of Kohler-Cadmore though, they have brought in somebody who knows the PSL well, having previously played for the Gladiators and Zalmi themselves.
| Category | Players | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| โ Retained | Babar Azam (captain) | PSLโs all-time leading run-scorer |
| โ Retained | Saim Ayub (bat) | Key young talent |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Alzarri Joseph (West Indies) | Strengthens fast-bowling attack |
| ๐ฅ New Signings | Tom Kohler-Cadmore (England) | PSL-experienced batter |
Strengths and weaknesses
With Azam leading their batting attack, and with the support of players like Saim Ayub, Zalmi will always have the capability of scoring enough runs. However, fast bowling has proven a weakness in recent seasons, and, despite adding Alzarri Joseph to the squad, this does not seem to have been adequately addressed.ย And, whilst the mainly Pakistan-based team may have great appeal to the fans, they may be lacking that stardust factor that major international stars can offer.
Player to watch
If Zalmi are to make the play-offs and even challenge for the title, Babar Azam needs to have a strong season. He is the leading run-scorer in the history of the competition. They may not be a one-man team, but, without him in good form, their chances will be severely diminished.
The Quetta Gladiatorsย
PSL runners-up in their first two seasons, the Quetta Gladiators finally got their hands on the trophy in 2019, but have not made the final since. The Gladiators are owned by Omar Associates, whose CEO is Nassem Omar, and who also owns a franchise that plays in the Lanka Premier League. Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is their new coach for the 2025 season, with a distinguished playing career behind him. He returns to the Gladiators having previously, as a player, been part of the team that won the tournament in 2019.
- PSL Titles: 1 (2019)
- Recent Performance: No finals since 2019.
- Owner: Omar Associates.
- Head Coach: Shane Watson (Former Australian all-rounder & ex-Gladiators player).
- Captain: Rilee Rossouw.
Squad Breakdown
| Category | Players | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | Mohammad Amir (bowl), Faheem Ashraf (ar), Mark Chapman (bat), Finn Allen (bat) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand |
| Diamond | Mohammad Waseem Jr. (bowl) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Gold | Rilee Rossouw (wk/bat, captain), Abrar Ahmed (bowl) | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Silver | Kyle Jamieson (bowl), Khurram Shahzad (bowl), Haseebullah Khan (bat), Saud Shakeel (bat), Usman Tariq (bat), Khawaja Nafay (bat) | ๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Emerging | Hasan Nawaz (bat), Muhammad Zeeshan (ar) | ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
| Supplementary | Kusal Mendis (bat), Sean Abbott (ar), Shoaib Malik (ar), Danish Aziz (bowl) | ๐ฑ๐ฐ Sri Lanka, ๐ฆ๐บ Australia, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan, ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan |
Retentions and acquisitions
One of the franchises that took up their full allocation of retentions, among the players returning for another season are captain Roussouw, Abrar Ahmed, and Mohammad Amir, who also will act as a mentor for the team.
Their overseas acquisitions include the New Zealand pair of Allen and Jamieson, whilst the Sri Lankan Mendis, who has made a big impression since breaking through into the Sri Lanka team, will be given another chance to showcase his talents.
Strengths and weaknesses
Allen adds some flair to what was already a strong top order, and the addition of Mendis adds more depth to their batting. Recruiting Jamiesson should also address some of their fast bowling issues, although there will be concerns, given his recent injury record, about his ability to stay fit for the entire tournament.ย
Player to watch
Kyle Jamiesson could yet prove to be a shrewd acquisition if he can maintain his fitness. A tall man, he delivers the ball from an awkward height and is capable of getting extra bounce from a pitch and his secret weapon, the fuller delivery which loops into the stump, can be a test for even the finest batters.
PSL 2026 Expansion โ What We Know So Far
Although the Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that there will be two new franchises in 2026, the move is not universally popular. Three of the existing franchises remain opposed to the idea, concerned about the impact this will have on player availability, especially given the greater financial draw of the IPL.
To address these concerns, the PCB has offered to amend the recruitment rules, allowing teams to recruit marquee players outside the normal draft process.
If the expansion is to be a success, though, the PSL will need to revert to its traditional place in the calendar in February/March time. Forced to compete directly with the IPL for any length of time will mean that there can be only one winner in terms of money, player availability and eyeballs.
Whilst discussions about potential franchises are still at an early stage, it is believed Faisalabad and Sialkot are among the favourite cities to get their own team.
How to Watch PSL 2025 Live
Sony Sports Network has acquired exclusive rights to broadcast PSL 2025 matches, for viewers in Pakistan, India, and across the rest of South-East Asia. Other broadcasters have agreed deals in various local territories.ย
Fans can also stay in touch with match scores and get all news via the official PSL app, which can be downloaded via the Apple or Google Play Stores.
