Lahore: Australian cricketer Steve Smith has become the most expensive player in Pakistan Super League (PSL) history.
The newly introduced PSL franchise Sialkot Stallions has acquired the former Australian captain through a direct signing for the 11th edition of the league.
The team made the announcement via social media, confirming that this will be Smith’s first-ever appearance in the Pakistan Super League.
According to reports, Sialkot Stallions signed Steve Smith for a staggering PKR 14 crore, making him the highest-paid player in PSL history to date.
For context on retention fees in PSL 11:
- Peshawar Zalmi retained Babar Azam for PKR 7 crore
- Lahore Qalandars retained Shaheen Shah Afridi for PKR 7 crore
- Islamabad United retained Shadab Khan for PKR 7 crore
This season marks a major change in the PSL player selection process. The traditional draft system has been replaced with an auction-based model.
Under the new rules, each franchise can now retain only one player per category (instead of up to eight previously), with the remaining squad spots to be filled through the upcoming player auction.
The record-breaking signing of Steve Smith underscores the growing financial power and competitiveness of the revamped PSL format ahead of its 11th season.
