A cricketer joins the PSL by registering with the PCB for the auction, being placed in a category, and being bought by a franchise, or by being nominated and protected by a franchise as an emerging player. For PSL 11, 879 local and foreign players registered. We found no open public trial process in the sources we checked.
Last checked 27 October 2026.
What are the steps into a PSL squad?
| Step | What happens | What our sources say |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Register | Players register with the PCB at pre-determined base prices before the auction, and the PCB publishes the list | 879 local and foreign players registered for the PSL 11 auction held on 11 February 2026 |
| 2. Get a category | The PCB places players in Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver or Emerging | The criteria are not published in the sources we checked |
| 3. Be bought or retained | A franchise buys the player at the auction, signs him directly, or retains him from last season | Retention was up to four players in PSL 11; see the retention rules |
| 4. Be nominated as an emerging player | A franchise or region nominates a young player, who must be protected until the next cycle | Used since 2016 for players under 23 |
The first step is open to local and overseas players, but being registered does not guarantee a place: the PSL 11 squads on our squads page hold about 140 players on auction day, against 879 who registered, so most registrants were not in a squad on auction day. The 140 includes retained and directly signed players.
How does the emerging category work?
The emerging category has existed since the first draft in 2016. According to an ESPN report from 2025, each franchise must field at least one emerging player in every match and carry at least two in its squad. Players are generally under 23 and should not have played for Pakistan. The PCB has made an exception for players found through talent-hunt programmes, such as the Lahore Qalandars Player Development Programme, who can be older.
The 2016 rules said the player had to be under 23 on 1 January 2017 and of “significant cricket skill level”, and that regional heads could nominate their top five players from a region. The ESPN report adds that the most recent public draft guide, from 2017, excluded players who had already played competitive domestic cricket or Under-19 cricket, and that rules cited by the PSL in a 2025 dispute over Mohammad Naeem do not appear in any publicly available document it could find.
What has the Mohammad Naeem case shown?
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Player | Mohammad Naeem, 26, Lahore Qalandars’ emerging player in all but one game of their 2025 title run |
| Route | Picked through the franchise’s development programme, which exempts a player from the age limit |
| Dispute | He had played Under-19 cricket for FATA in 2017 and senior domestic cricket in 2023; other franchises said they were unaware of the stipulation |
| Outcome | The PSL accepted his registration; he cannot be registered as an emerging player in the next edition |
| Record | 314 runs in PSL 2025 at a strike rate of 162.69 |
The case matters for aspiring players because it shows that a franchise can find and protect a player outside the normal domestic route, but also that the written rules are not easy to find. Players should check any programme’s terms with the franchise or the PCB.
What should an aspiring player do next?
Follow the PCB’s registration announcements, which appear before each auction, and track the PSL 12 timeline on the PSL 12 auction page. The money and pay side is explained on salary and purse, and the selection routes are compared in how PSL players are selected. Category lists are on the categories page.
Sources: ESPN, “Mohammad Naeem, and the curious case of PSL’s emerging player rule”; PCB release of 8 October 2016; Geo Super, 7 February 2026; ProPakistani, 11 February 2026. Method: methodology and data sources.