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The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to expand to include eight franchises by 2026, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) aiming to permanently schedule matches in April and May. Since its inception, only one new team, Multan Sultans, joined the original five franchises in 2018. The selection process for the two additional franchises has not yet begun.
Furthermore, the lease for the Multan franchise is up for renewal next year, coinciding with the expiration of the ten-year lease ownership agreements between the PSL and franchise owners.
To ensure a more reliable scheduling window, the PCB plans to avoid conflicting with other major cricket tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL), ILT20, SA20, and the ICC Champions Trophy, which are usually held in February-March. However, some franchise owners oppose permanently shifting the PSL to April-May, citing concerns about player availability, particularly foreign players who might prioritize the IPL.
To address these concerns, the PCB has proposed allowing each franchise to make one marquee signing outside of the draft system. Additionally, there are discussions about holding the PSL playoffs in the United Kingdom next year to globalize the league and avoid hot weather conditions in Pakistan during May.
The upcoming season will likely serve as a test to determine the feasibility of hosting the PSL concurrently with the IPL. Despite challenges and uncertainties, the PCB, under the leadership of Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, is willing to experiment with this scheduling strategy.
