The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 has suffered a major setback with several top England players set to miss the tournament. With the IPL and PSL clashing in the 2026 season, the dominance of the IPL has once again impacted player availability, and the England Cricket Board’s (ECB) strict workload policy has added further trouble for the PSL.

According to recent reports, England’s centrally contracted red-ball players will not receive No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to play in PSL 11. The ECB has prioritised the County Championship and England’s home Test summer, which includes a three-match Test series against New Zealand in June 2026. While the IPL continues to remain an exception, players who skip or go unsold in the IPL are expected to rest rather than join other overseas leagues.

England players unavailable for PSL 2026

As per current ECB guidelines and contract structures, the following England players are unlikely to feature in PSL 11:

• Ben Stokes
• Harry Brook
• Mark Wood
• Jamie Smith
• Gus Atkinson
• Rehan Ahmed
• Saqib Mahmood
• Ollie Robinson
• Matthew Potts
• Brydon Carse
• Zak Crawley
• Joe Root (unlikely due to workload management)

Most of these players hold red-ball or multi-format central contracts, making them unavailable during the PSL window, which runs from March 26 to May 3, 2026.

ALSO SEE: Watch: Alex Carey dedicates maiden Ashes 2025/26 century to his late father in Adelaide

Why ECB has blocked PSL participation

The ECB has tightened its NOC policy to protect player fitness ahead of a busy international calendar. With the County Championship starting in April and international commitments immediately after, the board is unwilling to risk injuries or burnout. The IPL remains the only overseas league given special clearance due to its commercial agreements and fixed calendar slot.

Impact on PSL franchises

The absence of marquee England names significantly affects PSL franchises, especially with the league expanding to eight teams in 2026. Teams are now expected to shift focus towards:

• Unsold IPL players
• Australian and West Indies cricketers
• Emerging overseas talent

With growing competition from the IPL and limited access to England’s elite players, PSL 2026 faces a challenging road ahead as it works to retain global relevance and star appeal.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to enter a new era in 2026, with the tournament expanding to eight teams and adopting a revised competition format for its 11th edition. Despite the expansion, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has ensured the league remains compact, competitive and fan-friendly within a 39-day window.

PSL 2026 will be played from March 26 to May 3, with matches scheduled across five cities: Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan and, for the first time, Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

How the new PSL 2026 format works

The tournament will be played in two phases.

Phase 1: Single-League Stage
All eight teams will face each other once. This means every side plays seven matches, ensuring a balanced and fair contest where teams compete against all opponents.

Phase 2: Super Four Stage
After the league phase, the eight teams will be split into two groups of four. Each team will play three matches in this stage. Performances here will determine which teams advance further.

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The top two teams from each group will qualify for the playoffs.

Playoffs structure

The playoffs will consist of four matches, including the final, to crown the PSL 2026 champions. Importantly, even with two additional teams, each franchise will still play a minimum of 10 matches, maintaining consistency with previous seasons.

PSL 2026 format at a glance

A total of 44 matches are expected to be played during the season.

The PSL, which began in 2016 with five teams and expanded to six in 2018, will undergo its first major restructuring in seven years. With new teams, new venues and a streamlined format, PSL 2026 aims to preserve the league’s competitive edge while bringing top-level T20 cricket to more fans across Pakistan.

A big claim regarding the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). It is claimed on the social media platform 'X' that Travis Head can be in the next season of PSL. 

After a lot of drama, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly about to take multiple significant steps to take the Pakistan Super League to the next level. Multiple big names of international cricket, including Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali, are all set to feature in PSL. Along with them, if Travis Head joins the franchise league, then it will be a big boost for the league. 

Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, or David Warner—all the names are huge in international cricket, but all of them are well past their prime days. Head, the Australian top-order batter who can bat in multiple positions according to the situation, is still active as one of the most dangerous batters of the game. According to claims, the batter can join the Pakistan Super League after 8 long years. Though, there is no official confirmation neither from the player nor from the league officials. 

Read More: Star RCB player celebrates cracking century in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26

Travis Head to play in Pakistan Super League (PSL)?

Travis Head and Team Australia are now engaged for the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 tournament against England. The first match of the 5-match Test series was won by Australia, thanks to an authoritative century by Travis Head. In the second innings of the first Test in Perth, Head played a 123-run innings for a winning cause. The pitch was tough for the batters, but Head's attacking batting comfortably pulled the Australia cricket team out of danger and confirmed a vital win. 

In 2025, the batter featured in only one franchise league, which was the Indian Premier League. He played for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 13 matches to score 374 runs at an average of 31.16, powered by the highest score of 76. He is confirmed to play IPL 2026 for the same team, as SRH has retained the swashbuckling batter ahead of the mini auction. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to conduct all its financial transactions with Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams in Pakistani rupees instead of US dollars. This decision has raised questions about whether it will benefit the franchises or the PCB.

The real-time brand value of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and its franchises is still not clear.

Recently, independent foreign auditors reviewed the six existing franchises. After the evaluation, three teams — Lahore Qalandars, Quetta Gladiators, and Peshawar Zalmi — renewed their contracts for the next 10 years without any issues.

Also Read -Watch: Virat Kohli touches down in India to prepare for IND vs SA 2025 ODI series

Franchise Fee Concerns After New Rupee-Based System

The decision to conduct all PSL transactions in Pakistani rupees has raised questions in cricket circles about how the new franchise fees will work over the next 10 years.

Information gathered by this correspondent suggests that franchise fees may increase by 45 to 90 percent for the six teams. The PCB also plans to add two new teams, and their names will be announced on January 6.

How the Dollar-Based System Affected Teams

When the league began in 2016, all payments were done in US dollars. For example, Lahore Qalandars had a 10-year franchise fee of USD 25 million, meaning they paid USD 2.5 million every year.

In 2016, the dollar rate in Pakistan was 105 rupees. But within three years, the rate rose to 175 rupees, and by 2019, franchises said they were facing losses.

Lahore Qalandars’ annual fee rose from 26.5 crore rupees to 43.75 crore rupees only because of the higher dollar rate.

Other teams faced the same issue and pushed the PCB to change the financial model. The PCB agreed to increase their share in the central revenue pool to 95 percent and capped the dollar rate at 175 rupees.

Since 2019, franchises have paid fees at this fixed rate, even though the actual dollar rate has now reached 281 rupees.

What Happens in the Next 10 Years?

The big question now is whether franchises will pay more or less than they did earlier. If the PCB used today's dollar rate, Lahore’s annual fee of 2.5 million dollars would become around 70 crore rupees.

Rumours say Lahore’s new annual fee could be 66 crore rupees, but the PCB has not confirmed this.

Another major issue is that the PSL still lacks foreign investors, foreign sponsors, and foreign owners. On top of that, relations between the PCB and the most expensive team, Multan Sultans (fee: USD 6.35 million per year), are not good, as the franchise has not yet received its renewal documents.

The Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Khan Tareen, has responded to the legal notice he has been sent by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). They have accused Tareen of violating several rules in their 10-year contract, as the PSL team ownership will expire next December, which marks the end of the event’s first decade.

Multan Sultans, one of the successful franchises of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), have revealed that the board threatened to backlist their owners. They also asked them to apologize publicly for criticizing the management of the league. Tareen raised his voice in his criticism of the management over the past year, particularly regarding communication issues.  

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“The PCB last month sent a legal notice to Multan Sultans, demanding that our owner, Ali Tareen, retract all recent critical statements and issue a public apology to the PSL management. The notice threatens termination of our franchise agreement and a lifetime blacklist of Mr. Tareen from owning any cricket team in the future.” Multan Sultan sent a statement.

Watch: Ali Khan Tareen laughs at Mohsin Naqvi’s PCB to tear their legal notice

In a video posted by Tareen on his ‘X’ account (formerly known as Twitter), he summarized the demands of the board before blaming the board’s approach to handling the disagreements. He accused the PSL officials of being surrounded by yes-men on every occasion and not willing to accept the criticism. He stressed that the league belongs to the fans and all of Pakistan.

The PSL Management has sent me a notice threatening to cancel Multan Sultans unless I offer them a public apology. Hazir Saeen. pic.twitter.com/yHWCcClXaD

— Ali Khan Tareen (@aliktareen) October 23, 2025

While Tareen’s legal advisors suggested against the apology, he went forward mocking the league for the sake of improving the franchise event. He reiterated his criticisms from the past regarding the unprofessional conduct and the frustration of the mismanagement. He also sarcastically lauded the lip syncing of the performers.

Tareen continued in the same tone and apologized for being 10 minutes late for a Zoom meeting, pointing out the flaws of the tournament logistically. He made a dramatic ending to the video by tearing up the legal notice, with a smirk of ‘I hope you like my apology video.”

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has two pivotal debriefing sessions lined up on July 2 and 3 as the league prepares for the next stage in its expansion and revolution. The two meetings are expected to be conducted by PSL CEO Salman Naseer and his staff, and will see all six owners of franchises in attendance as well as other key stakeholders.

The sessions arrive at a critical juncture in the history of the league, after a drastic structural reorganization last winter that saw the PSL established as an autonomous body. Salman Naseer's hiring as the first-ever CEO of the new organization was interpreted as an attempt to bring about greater transparency and efficacy in league operations, but numerous critical hires within the framework are still outstanding.

PSL to Discuss Franchise Charges, Expansion, and Future Directions in Crucial Meetings

The meetings will look to discuss the performance and operations of previous PSL editions, solve persistent commercial and operational issues, and assess the way forward, including the financial viability of the league. Given the valuations of franchises consistently increasing over the years, the PCB is said to be eyeing a hike of 25% in franchise charges. Whereas all franchises last year reaffirmed allegiance to their proprietors, the costliest franchise, Multan Sultans, which pays more than PKR 1 billion every year in membership fees, has been notoriously quiet in light of doubts regarding long-term survival.

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Expansion is another important issue on the agenda. Proposals to add two new franchises for PSL 11 have hit a wall, with no official talks yet undertaken by the PCB. The increased league would have games increase from 34 to 54 and could double revenues as much as 30%, but franchise owners remain in the dark as to financial models or game plans.

A number of major commercial deals are also set to expire, such as title sponsorship, broadcasting rights, ground rights, and live streaming arrangements. The league is currently making about PKR 900 million a year from title sponsorships, with local and overseas broadcasting arrangements contributing billions more to the kitty. As PSL enters its second decade, this week's hearings might go a long way in determining the destiny of one of the globe's most-watched T20 leagues.

Match 22 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 features Peshawar Zalmi (PES) against Islamabad United (ISL) as the league hits the halfway point on May 2, 2025, at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. PES is led by Babar Azam and possesses a depth of batting talent, led by Saim Ayub and Mohammad Haris, while their bowling attack has proven strength in Alzarri Joseph and George Linde, while ISL, captained by Shadab Khan, also has fireworks with Sahibzada Farhan and Colin Munro at the top of the order and a talented group of bowlers headed up by Naseem Shah and Imad Wasim. This Gaddafi Stadium is a batting-friendly pitch, which points to an exciting match and a chance for high scores; however, the fast bowlers might have some early help.

PES vs. ISL has been a closely contested rivalry, and the record shows that, while ISL has a little advantage over PES at 13 wins to 12 wins in 25 matches, we can expect a closely contested match once again.

Prominent Encounters Between PES and ISL

PSL 2025, Match 5—April 14, Rawalpindi

• Islamabad United: 243/5 (Sahibzada Farhan 106 off 52, Colin Munro 40 off 27)
• Peshawar Zalmi: 141/10 (Mohammad Haris 87 off 47)
• Result: Islamabad United won by 102 runs

ISL registered a gargantuan 243, with Farhan's 106 and a 138-run partnership with Munro leading the charge. PES were disappointing in their chase, with Haris's 87 being no match for Imad Wasim (3/26) and Naseem Shah's demolition of their batting, who bowled them out in 18.2 overs.
Player of the Match: Sahibzada Farhan (ISL)

Also Read: PSL 2025: MUL vs KAR Match 20 - A Head to Head breakdown

PSL 2024, Eliminator 2 – March 16, Karachi

• Peshawar Zalmi: 185/5 (Babar Azam 59 off 40, Rovman Powell 38 off 22)
• Islamabad United: 189/5 (Imad Wasim 59* off 40, Haider Ali 52* off 29)
• Result: Islamabad United won by 5 wickets

PES scored 185, with Babar's 59 anchoring them, but ISL chased the target in 19 overs, with Imad's unbeaten 59 and Haider's blistering 52*. Alzarri Joseph picked up 2 wickets, but ISL's late push sealed the victory.
Player of the Match: Imad Wasim (ISL)

PSL 2023, Match 12—February 23, Karachi

• Islamabad United: 159/7 (Shadab Khan 44, Azam Khan 38)
• Peshawar Zalmi: 156/8 (Babar Azam 75 off 58)
• Result: Islamabad United by 3 runs

ISL scored 159, with the stability of 44 by Shadab. PES reached just short by Babar's 75; despite this, since Naseem Shah's penultimate death bowling (2/27) and Rumman Raees' 2 wickets brought about an edge-of-the-seat 3-run win for ISL.
Player of the Match: Shadab Khan (ISL)

While the Indian Premier League remains the most followed T20 league in the world, the Pakistan Super League on the other side of the border is laying down some first-class cricket. The timeless charm of these leagues lies in the way they make their teammates compete against one another. Last night, in Delhi, KL Rahul was competing against Virat Kohli, and the two had a slight face-off in the middle. Likewise, in the PSL as well, two of cricketing great names of Pakistan faced each other when Mohammad Amir bowled against Babar Azam in the match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday.

Amir tested Babar severely. Amir bowled four balls to Babar, all of which tested the former Pakistan skipper. Amir's first delivery was a bouncer, hitting Babar flush on the crash helmet. The batter took a concussion test, but there was no relief. Babar could manage just one off Amir's bowling before he got out. A wicked inswinger from the left-arm pacer struck Babar on the pads, and the batter was stone dead. Up went the finger in a flash, and Babar began his walk back.

But Amir's celebration was the icing on the cake. The experienced pacer was ecstatic and rushed to the dugout of the Gladiators, where mentor Viv Richards was sitting. Amir waved his hand at Richards in joy over the wicket, but the West Indies icon advised him to remain cool, relax and keep it up. Amir ended with 1/18 but it was his teammate Faheem Ashraf, who stole all the limelight with a five-wicket-haul. Faheem picked up 5/33 off 3.3 overs as the Gladiators defeated Zalmi by a massive 64 runs. Babar, who has 117 runs, is not even among the top 10 list of highest run-getters in PSL 2025, while Amir is 12th with 7 wickets. For their teams, Zalmi is not doing well, being fourth with two wins out of six matches. The Gladiators are better off than Zalmi but still at third position with six points are not yet out of the woods.

Watch the video here

Interactions between Mohammad Amir and Sir Viv Richards after getting Babar Azam.🔥👌pic.twitter.com/bI1qKwhyjQ

— junaiz (@dhillow_) April 27, 2025

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Viv Richards backs Babar Azam

The West Indian legend said that Babar Azam would soon find his rhythm again. He said that a king is a monarch who reigns supreme and, regardless of how great a batter is, everyone experiences a dip in form. Richards mentioned that this was not the first time Babar was going through such a phase and expressed confidence that Babar, being an excellent player, would return to form very soon. He added that players like Kohli and Babar do justice to the game of cricket.

"Babar Azam will also get into his rhythm soon. A king is a monarch who reigns supreme. Regardless of how great a batter you are, every one experiences a dip in form. This is not the first time he is experiencing such a phase. Babar is an excellent player. I am confident he will return to form very soon. I think when you see players like Kohli and Babar, they seem to do justice to the game of cricket," Richards said.

A tense situation arose in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 match between Islamabad United and Multan Sultans when Colin Munro of New Zealand suggested that Iftikhar Ahmed had "chucked." Islamabad United were chasing a total of 169 at the time in the 10th over when the controversy occurred. Munro used the forward defending technique to retrieve a fast delivery from Iftikhar aimed at his toes. However, Munro's follow-through as he cried foul over a bent elbow action stole the show as he cantered down to accuse the off-spinner of breaching permissible bowling actions.

Munro’s gestures created immediate tension. His repeated motion, imitating a bent-arm delivery, frustrated Iftikhar, who went straight to the on-field umpire to express his concerns. The umpire sought to calm the situation, but it was too late as Munro's actions had already stirred an action from the Multan Sultans camp. Several of Iftikhar's teammates were agitated and confronted Munro about what they deemed unsportsmanlike action as the match turned into an emotional outburst rather than a contest of competition.

The confrontation intensified when Pakistan’s national team captain Mohammad Rizwan intervened. In a video published by the PSL’s social media accounts, Rizwan could be seen confronting Munro about an apparent disrespect to his teammate. Once the video was published, it went viral, illustrating how emotionally charged the match was. Even though officials restored calm and resumed the game without incident, it became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament, resulting in the general feeling whether sportsmanship and the spirit of the game could be overshadowed in high-pressure situations.

Watch the video here;

Colin Munro accuses Iftikhar Ahmed of chucking in PSL game.
pic.twitter.com/OujiNbxN19

— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) April 23, 2025

ICC stands on illegal bowling action

“An Illegal Bowling Action is where a player is throwing rather than bowling the ball. This is defined by the ICC as being where the player’s elbow extends by an amount of more than 15 degrees between their arm reaching the horizontal and the ball being released,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) states in their rules and regulations section on their website.

Following the clash between Colin Munro and Iftikhar Ahmed, Islamabad United secured a seven-wicket victory over the Multan Sultans at Multan Cricket Stadium. Munro played a key role in the chase himself, scoring a quick 45 runs from 28 balls before being caught by Iftikhar himself. Iftikhar, who was in the middle of the controversy, also bowled in the match, giving up 20 runs in two overs. Although moments in the match felt tense, the match was ultimately won by match.

Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi has just received a gift that’s as golden as his career—a brand-new 24K gold-plated iPhone 16 Pro. The stunning luxury item was presented to the fast-bowling sensation as a special gesture, and the moment was captured on video, quickly going viral among cricket fans and tech enthusiasts alike.

The exclusive iPhone, customized with pure 24-karat gold, adds a touch of royal elegance to Shaheen’s collection. As one of Pakistan’s most celebrated cricketers and a two-time PSL-winning captain, Shaheen continues to make headlines both for his on-field dominance and his off-field charm. This luxury smartphone gift reflects not only his success but also the admiration he commands as a sporting icon.

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In the video, Shaheen can be seen smiling as he unboxes the gleaming iPhone, its gold finish sparkling under the lights. The gesture came from a luxury customization brand known for creating elite devices for celebrities and influencers. Fans have flooded social media with reactions, praising the Qalandars skipper and celebrating the classy upgrade.

Watch here

The iPhone has landed 📱😉

Our Captain Qalandar receives a gift he’s worthy of 💛🤴🏽
A custom 24K Gold-plated IPhone 16 Pro, made just for Lahore Qalandars’ main man, Shaheen! pic.twitter.com/PYigEiJvRR

— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) April 20, 2025

Shaheen Afridi joins Elite list with 24k Gold Iphone Gift

This isn't the first time cricketers have been gifted extravagant items, but a 24K gold iPhone definitely ranks high on the list of unique and high-end surprises. With this new addition, Shaheen joins a list of global stars who have been recognized with premium, personalized tech. 

Shaheen Afridi continues to be one of the most admired young leaders in the cricket world, and this latest golden gift only adds to his aura. Whether it's delivering match-winning spells or making style statements off the field, the Qalandars captain certainly knows how to shine.