Tag: PCB

LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has recorded another major commercial milestone ahead of season 11 after successfully selling its international media rights, with the India region deliberately excluded from the deal.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the one-year agreement for global media rights, excluding India, has been awarded to Walee Technologies, which emerged as the highest bidder and surpassed the PCB’s reserve price.

The PCB further revealed that, on a comparable basis, the latest agreement reflects a 149 percent increase in value over the previous cycle, underlining the league’s growing global footprint and strengthening brand value.

PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer welcomed the outcome and termed it a strong validation of the league’s commercial growth.

“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the International Media Rights sale, which has delivered a remarkable 149% increase over the last cycle for the same regions,” Naseer said.

“This growth is a strong validation of the HBL PSL brand, its competitive quality, and its increasing appeal to cricket fans around the world.”

He added that the league continues to attract strong interest internationally and remains on an upward commercial trajectory.

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“The HBL PSL continues to attract strong global interest, and this agreement reinforces our confidence in the league’s long-term commercial trajectory and its ability to deliver value across diverse international markets,” he said.

Naseer also acknowledged Walee Technologies for pushing beyond past benchmarks.

“We are grateful to Walee Technologies for stepping up the ante in the New Era and breaking past records,” he added.

Meanwhile, Walee Technologies CEO Ahsan Tahir expressed excitement over partnering with the marquee league, calling it a major moment for local innovation.

“This is a victory for every Pakistani who believes in ‘Made in Pakistan’ technology,” Tahir said.

“This is just the start of our HBL PSL journey. We have a lot of plans, and we’d like everyone to eagerly await everything Walee is about to do.”

Notably, the PCB’s decision to withhold PSL media rights for the India region comes amid strained relations between the two countries, with Pakistan recently announcing its decision to boycott the India clash at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

READ: Multan Sultans to go into PSL 11 auction with zero retentions

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday confirmed that it has approved five bidders for the auction of the owner-less Multan Sultans ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

The PCB confirmed the bidders in a press release following the technical evaluation of the proposals.

“A total of six proposals were received from interested parties within the stipulated deadline. The PCB bid committee then carried out a thorough and transparent evaluation process,” the PCB said.

“Out of the six proposals, five (5) bidders have been termed technically qualified, who will now take part in the Auction process of the Multan Sultans. The date and venue for the Auction will be shared in due course,” it added.

Following the announcement, the Chief Executive Officer of PSL, Salman Nasee,r expressed his excitement and shared his thoughts on the evaluation process.

“We are delighted to receive such keen interest in the sale of Multan Sultans’ Franchise Rights,” he said.

“The HBL PSL congratulates the technically qualified bidders and appreciates all parties who engaged with us through-out the tender process; with whom we will continue to explore other exciting opportunities,” he added.

He mentioned the league’s new era and expressed confidence ahead of the PSL 11 auction.

“I’m sure the fans are equally excited for another thrilling Team Auction before the focus shifts to all important Player Auction for HBL PSL 11. The final lineup of the eight HBL PSL team owners is going to set the ball rolling for the New Era of the HBL PSL 11,” he concluded.

For the unversed, the process began after the departure of Multan Sultans’ former owner, Ali Tareen, who announced in November that he was stepping away from the franchise.

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The reason for Tareen’s departure was strained relations with the PCB that had persisted for over a year, ultimately reaching a point of no return.

Subsequently, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced that the board would assume control of the franchise upon expiry of the existing ownership agreement on December 31, 2025.

The initial plan was for the PCB to operate the team for a year before auctioning it in 2027.

However, strong valuations achieved in the recent auction are understood to have encouraged the PCB to proceed with the sale of Multan Sultans earlier than planned.

The landmark auction, held at the Jinnah Convention Centre last month, saw FKS Group and OZ Developers acquire the newly added franchises from Hyderabad and Sialkot for Rs1.75 billion and Rs1.85 billion, respectively, expanding the PSL to eight teams from season 11.

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LAHORE: Player retention rules and the proposed ‘drauction’ system were among the key issues discussed during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Governing Council meeting held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Friday.

Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chaired the meeting, which was also attended by representatives from all eight PSL franchises, along with the officials.

“Chairman PCB and the HBL PSL team were also congratulated on the successful conduct of the New Teams Auction, which reflected growth and evolution of the league,” the board said in a press release.

“During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on various matters, including the schedule of the HBL PSL 11, player retentions, adoption of the player auction or a unique combination of auction and draft termed as ‘drauction’, and the option of opening direct signings,” it added.

Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated on the successful conduct of the new teams auction, highlighting the league’s growth.

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During the meeting, it was also decided that PSL 11 will kick off on Thursday, 26 March.

The meeting was adjourned with the constitution of a working group to meet on Saturday to deliberate further on agenda items, where, after the Governing council meeting, will be reconvened immediately as necessary.

READ: Clinical England outplay Pakistan in U19 World Cup

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday to take over control of the Multan Sultans for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Naqvi, at a press conference, revealed the decision, noting that the auction of the outfit will be held following the conclusion of PSL 11.

“Multan Sultans will be operated by the PCB this year. Once the PSL concludes, we will carry out the auction process and put the franchise up for sale. However, for this season, the board will run the Sultans,” Naqvi said.

He shed light on the decision and stated that a professional cricketer will take charge of the Sultans for PSL 11.

“For this purpose, we will appoint an acting head within the next eight to ten days who will oversee the team. A professional cricketer will be brought in to manage Multan Sultans for this season,” he continued.

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For those unaware, this comes after Sultan’s former owner, Ali Tareen, said goodbye to the franchise he owned in 2018. Tareen cited finances as a reason for parting ways with the team.

Meanwhile, the auction of the two new outfits is set for 8 January 2026, with 10 bidders gearing up to compete for the teams.

A day earlier, PCB completed the technical Evaluation of the proposal submitted by bidders for the sale of two new PSL outfits.

“A total of 12 proposals were received from interested parties within the stipulated deadline from across the globe and were scrutinised by the PCB Bid Committee over the last three days,” the board had said in a press release.

“Following a thorough and transparent evaluation process, the PCB Bid Committee has qualified 10 Bidders who have successfully met the technical criteria and now enter the second stage,” it added.

The Pakistan Super League, which began in 2016 with five outfits, is set to expand with the addition of two new teams.

Notably, the league expanded to five teams in 2018 with the addition of Multan Sultans. With the addition of two new franchises, the league will undergo its first major restructuring in seven years, taking the total to eight teams.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday announced that it had received an encouraging response to the tender issued for the sale of two new franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

According to the board, it has received an overwhelming response from 12 parties within the stipulated deadline.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced an exceptional and encouraging response to the tender issued for the sale of two new franchises of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Within the stipulated deadline, 12 parties have formally submitted their bids,” the board said in a press release.

“These bidders belong to five continents, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Pakistan, which clearly reflects the PSL’s growing global popularity and commercial appeal,” it added.

As per the board, the outcome of this particular phase of the bidding process will be revealed on 27 December, while technically qualified bidders will be given a chance to purchase the two new teams through an open competition bidding process.

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The open competition bidding will be held on 8 January at the Islamabad Convention Centre.

Earlier, the bid deadline previously set for December 22 was extended to December 24 for the second time due to the two bank holidays and at the request of the bidding parties.

For the unversed, the Pakistan Super League, which began in 2016 with five outfits, is set to expand with the addition of two new teams.

Notably, the league expanded to five teams in 2018 with the addition of Multan Sultans.

With the addition of two new teams, the league will undergo its first major restructuring in seven years, taking the total to eight teams.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday revealed the schedule of the eight-team President’s Cup Grade-I One-Day Cup 2025-26, with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) set to defend its title.

The tournament will comprise 31 matches, running from 8 to 25 December, with the semi-final matches on 22 and 23 December.

“The eight teams will take on each other in a single-league round-robin format with four matches taking place in each of the seven rounds,” the cricket board announced in a press release.

Moreover, the tournament will be live-streamed on Tapmad in Pakistan and the PCB YouTube channel for the viewers outside Pakistan.

The league-stage fixtures will be day games, with the coin toss taking place at 9am, and the first ball expected to be bowled at 9.30am.

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In addition, a hefty prize of PKR 5 million has been announced for the winners, while runners-up will receive PKR 2.5 million. The best batters

“Best batter, bowler, wicket-keeper, and player of the tournament will be awarded PKR 100,000, while player of the match in each league stage and semi-final game will get PKR 25,000, with the player of the final getting PKR 50,000,” it added.

Squads

Ghani Glass

Moeez Ghani (captain), Abdul Rafay, Afaq Afridi, Ali Razzaq, Ali Shabbir, Hammad Butt, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, Hussain Talat, Kashif Ali, Khawaja Mohammad Arham, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohsin Riaz, Muhammad Umair, Noman Ali, Saad Nasim, Saaed Ali, Sameen Gul, Shadab Khan, Shahbaz Javed (wicketkeeper), Sharjeel Khan, Shawaiz Irfan, Shoaib Akhtar, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah, Yahya bin Abdul Rehman, and Zafar Gohar

Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)

Iftikhar Ahmed (captain), Abdul Faseeh, Ahmad Bashir, Ahmed Hassan, Aqib Liaqat, Arshad Iqbal, Hamza Nazar, Iftikhar Ahmed, Muhammad Amir Barki, Muhammad Hamza, Muhammad Shayan Sheikh, Muhammad Usman, Mohammad Qaisar, Saad Baig, Saqib, Sarmad Bhatti, Shahzaib Khan, Syed Aqib Shah, Syed Junaid Ali, Waqar Ahmed

Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDL)

Adil Amin (captain), Abbas Ali, Abdul Rehman Muzammil, Alai Imran, Arshadullah, Asif Afridi, Danish Aziz, Haroon Arshad, Imam-ul-Haq, Israrullah, Jawad Ali, Khayyam Khan, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Amir Khan, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi, Muhammad Abuzar, Muhammad Arsal Sheikh, Muhammad Huzaifa, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Umair, Muhammad Umar, Mushatq Ahmed, Raja Hamza Waheed, Sameer Saqib, and Umar Siddiq (wicketkeeper)

Pakistan Television (PTV)

Ammad Butt (captain), Ali Usman, Faisal Akram, Hasnain Khan, Irfan Khan, Israr Hussain, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ilyas Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Mehran Sanwal, Musa Khan, Muhammad Meesam, Obaid Shahid, Shamyl Hussain, Taimur Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Salahuddin, Waqar Hussain, Yasir Khan, Zahid Mehmood

Sahir Associates

Asim Ali Nasir (captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah, Ahmed Khan, Ahmer Ashfaq, Asfand Mehran, Attaullah, Fahad Usman, Hafiz Muhammad Suleman, Intasar Ali, Khan Zeb, Khawaja Muhammad Abdullah, Mohsin Khan, Muhammad Afaq, Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Azeem Dar, Muhammad Basit, Muhammad Bilawal, Muhammad Zahid Khan Mehmand, Muhammd Kashif, Rawayat Khan, Razaullah, Saad Din Muhammad Athar, Saleem, Shahid Ali, Syed Ameer Abdullah Hamdani, and Usman Khan

Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL)

Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdul Samad, Abdul Subhan, Abid Ali, Ali Zaryab, Athar Mehmood, Azan Awais, Bilawal Bhatti, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Irfan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Azab, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Shahzad, Omair bin Yousuf, Saad Khan, Saifullah Bangash (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)

Imran Butt (captain), Ali Shan (wicketkeeper), Hassan Raza, Kashif Ali, Kashif Bhatti, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Hurraira, Mohammad Ismail, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Niaz Khan, Qasim Akram, Rameez Aziz, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shahid Aziz, and Sirajuddin

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA)

Khalid Usman (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Akif Javed, Aqib Khan, Azan Afridi, Ayaz Tasawar, Bismillah Khan (wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Malhar Rasool, Mohammad Ammar, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Imran Dogar, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Mohammad Zeeshan, Muhammad Adil, Muhammad Akhlaq (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Ismail, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Naveed, Muhammad Umair, Mujtaba Khan, Nabi Gul, Naqeebullah, Rafay Rana, Rehan Afridi, Sharoon Siraj, and Usman Iqbal

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ROME: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Italian Cricket Federation (FCRI) for promoting cricket in Italy.

PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sumair Ahmad Syed and FCRI President Madame Maria Lorena Haz Paz signed the MoU, with an eye on increasing the support for men’s and women’s cricket in Italy.

“Under this strategic partnership, both organisations will collaborate to support the development of men’s and women’s cricket in Italy, following the Italian national team’s recent qualification for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the board said in a press release.

“The agreement outlines a comprehensive framework focused on technical, structural, and competitive development,” it added.

The main cooperation areas include the transfer of technical and coaching knowledge, alongside organizing joint development and training programmes.

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Moreover, workshops, seminars, friendly matches, and bilateral tournaments at different levels, infrastructural enhancement, and youth development across Italy are also part of the plan.

On this occasion, PCB COO Sumair Ahmad Syed shared his views and highlighted the board’s commitment to fostering global cricket growth.

“This partnership represents an important opportunity to strengthen sporting and cultural ties between Pakistan and Italy,” he said.

FCRI President Maria Lorena Haz Paz also hailed the collaboration, stating that the agreement aligns with Italy’s broader strategy to elevate its cricketing standards.

“FCRI is in the process of securing additional bilateral partnerships with foreign cricket boards to further accelerate the sport’s development in the country,” she said.

For the unversed, the Italy men’s cricket team will be featuring in the 20-team 2026 T20 World Cup for the first time.

In July this year, Italy secured qualification from the European region after displaying impressive performances throughout the tournament under the leadership of Joe Burns, a former Australian opening batter.

READ: Pakistan, Australia hold security discussions for 2026 white-ball series

LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been handed a key role in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), sources said on Sunday.

According to sources, the wicket-keeper has been assigned to oversee matters regarding the Pakistan Shaheens and the Pakistan Under-19 teams.

The role will involve looking after squads, including coordination with coaches, squad management, and arrangements for domestic and international tours. Additionally, Sarfaraz could also travel with the teams on their tours.

It is pertinent to note that this will be the second time the 38-year-old has been assigned a role in the PCB. Previously, he had served as the mentor of the Dolphins team in the Champions Cup, which was held last year.

Earlier, Sarfaraz Ahmed, as Team Director of Quetta Gladiators in the PSL 10, opened up on the challenges of transitioning to the coaching role.

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The wicket-keeping batter led the side for eight years and in a record 80 matches since the inception of the PSL in 2016, and played as a player in the previous edition of the league.

In an interview with PCB Digital, Sarfaraz Ahmed said: “It is an exciting role for me, and I am trying to learn as I have previously worked as a mentor in the two Champions Cup events for team Dolphins”.

Sarfaraz Ahmed added, “It’s not easy for a player to transition into a coaching role, especially after being involved as a player on the field, but over time you need to evolve your skillset and adapt to new responsibilities. I have been with Quetta since the start of the HBL PSL.”

Recalling Quetta Gladiators’ triumph in the 2019 edition, the former Pakistan captain called it a memorable moment after reaching finals and playoffs for three years.

For the unversed, Sarfaraz is a vastly experienced player, having represented Pakistan in 54 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 61 T20Is.

He also brought several accolades to Pakistan, as he led the national team to victories in the ICC U19 World Cup 2006 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has cleared the air on former pacer Wahab Riaz’s role following the reports of his appointment as a consultant of the national women’s team.

The board’s spokesperson clarified that Wahab is currently working as a consultant with the board and is overseeing various departments.

Besides this, the 40-year-old has not been given any additional responsibilities, the spokesperson reiterated.

This comes after reports have emerged that he has been named as the consultant of Pakistan’s women’s team.

Currently, the women’s team is without a head coach after the conclusion of Muhammad Wasim’s tenure.

On Monday, November 3, PCB had officially parted ways with Muhammad Wasim, bringing an end to his tenure following a disappointing World Cup 2025 campaign.

The development was confirmed by the board on Monday through an official press release, stating that the search for a new head coach is already underway.

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“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the completion of Mohammad Wasim’s tenure as Head Coach of the Pakistan National Women’s Cricket Team,” the statement read.

“The process to appoint a new head coach is currently underway, and the announcement regarding his successor will be made in due course,” it added.

Wasim’s departure comes on the back of a winless World Cup run, where Pakistan finished at the bottom of the points table.

The team lost four of their seven matches, while three fixtures were washed out due to rain.

Following the team’s early exit, speculation had been rife that the PCB was considering changes in the coaching setup to revamp the women’s cricket structure ahead of future assignments.

In its statement, the PCB reiterated its long-term commitment to developing the women’s game in the country.

“The PCB remains committed to strengthening women’s cricket in Pakistan and ensuring the team receives the best possible support to achieve continued success on the international stage,” the board said.

Notably, Muhammad Wasim was appointed as the women’s team head coach ahead of the ACC Women’s Asia Cup in June 2024.

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Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has congratulated Shan Masood on his appointment as PCB’s Consultant for International Cricket and Players’ Affairs, calling it a great choice and praising the board for making “thoughtful and forward-looking” decisions.

The all-rounder took to social media and shared his views on the decision.

Congratulations to Shaan Masood on being appointed as the International Director of PCB, a great choice,” he wrote on X.

He suggested that wicket-keeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed should be a strong candidate to lead domestic cricket, praising the decision.

“I recommend, Sarfaraz Ahmed would be an excellent fit to lead domestic cricket. Only cricketers truly understand the challenges and needs of their fellow players, these roles couldn’t be in better hands. Great to see PCB making thoughtful and forward-looking decisions for Pakistan cricket,” he wrote.

Earlier today, PCB named Test skipper Shan Masood as the Consultant for International Cricket and Players’ Affairs.

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However, the PCB announcement press release did not indicate if Shan would remain as captain while taking on the new role.

The decision came after the board had advertised for the Director of International Cricket Operations following Usman Wahla’s resignation from the role.

The designation is newly created and encompasses the responsibilities previously advertised under the Director, International Cricket Operations role.

As per the PCB’s advertisement, the director’s role involves numerous responsibilities, including planning and organizing international cricket events and preparing and finalizing MOUs for home and overseas tours of Pakistan’s national, Shaheens, U-19, U-16, and emerging teams.

“The role also involves preparing for ICC meetings on cricket-related matters and developing logistics and tournament budgets. The director will oversee negotiations, contract execution, and itinerary planning for FTP tours and all formats of matches,” the advertisement read.

Till now, Shan Masood has played 44 Tests, 9 ODIs, and 19 T20Is for Pakistan, having made his international debut against South Africa in 2013.

Overall, he has captained Pakistan in 14 matches so far, winning only four and losing 10. His most recent stint as skipper came against South Africa, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

READ: Salman Naseer reveals major update on new teams, venues in PSL 11