LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a one-week extension to the deadline for submitting bids for two new franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), citing strong and growing interest from international investors.
In this regard, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the decision, saying the move was made to accommodate a surge in inquiries from potential buyers across several regions.
In this sense, Naqvi said the original deadline of December 15 had been extended to December 22, 2025. He noted that investors from Europe, the United States, the Middle East and other markets had shown increasing interest in acquiring ownership stakes in the league’s new teams.
“Witnessing growing interest from Europe, USA, the Middle East and beyond in acquiring new HBL PSL teams, we have decided to prolong the bid submission deadline by one week to 22 December 2025,” Naqvi wrote.
He added that the PCB looked forward to welcoming new franchise owners to the PSL family. Furthermore, the announcement coincided with a high-profile PSL promotional roadshow held in New York City on the same day.
The event was attended by several current Pakistan international players, including T20 captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel.
So far, former Pakistan greats Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja were also present, along with renowned singer Ali Zafar, adding to the event’s profile. Meanwhile, the New York roadshow followed a similar promotional event held at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London last week.
The PSL is set to expand from six to eight teams for its 11th edition in 2026. The addition of two new franchises will mark the league’s first major structural expansion since 2018, when Multan Sultans joined as the sixth team.
The PCB has indicated that the auction process for the new franchises is expected to take place shortly after the bidding phase concludes. Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, has consistently emphasized the importance of transparency and professionalism in the bidding process.
He has also mentioned the need for infrastructure development and long-term planning to strengthen the league’s foundations.
