In PSL 11 every playing XI had to include three or four overseas players and at least one uncapped player under 23, and squads of 16 to 20 could hold five to seven overseas players. In 2022 the same balance was written the other way round: a minimum of seven and a maximum of eight local players, one of them an emerging player.
Last checked 27 October 2026. The PCB has not published PSL 12 squad rules, so the figures below describe past seasons.
What are the playing XI rules, season by season?
| Season | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PSL 2 (2017), draft rules | Each franchise had to field at least one regionally relevant Emerging player (under 23 on 1 January 2017) in every match. | PCB release of 8 October 2016 |
| PSL 7 (2022) | Playing XI of seven or eight local players, including an emerging player. That leaves three or four overseas players, which is our arithmetic. | PCB playing conditions, clause 1.2.5 |
| PSL 10 (2025) draft | At least five overseas players among the first 16 picks, with up to two more in supplementary rounds. | Draft rules as reported |
| PSL 11 (2026) squad | 16 to 20 players, with 5 to 7 overseas players in the squad. | Wisden and Geo reports |
| PSL 11 (2026) playing XI | Three or four overseas players and at least one uncapped player under 23 in every XI. | Wisden and Geo reports |
The 2022 clause also had a COVID exception: if positive tests made a compliant XI impossible, the local-player requirement was waived to the extent necessary, and a match could go ahead only if a team had at least 13 players who tested negative.
How do the squad numbers fit together?
A PSL 11 squad of 16 to 20 players with 5 to 7 overseas players leaves 9 to 15 local places, and a franchise that fills a full squad of 20 with seven overseas players has 13 locals. Because only three or four overseas players can play at once, at least seven of the XI are always Pakistani players, which matches the 2022 wording. The extra overseas players in the squad are cover for injuries and for team balance.
The under-23 rule adds a second filter. A franchise must keep at least two uncapped players under 23 in its squad and field at least one of them each match, so a squad needs real depth among young local players. Our sources describe this as a PSL 11 rule, and we do not know whether it continues. Multan Sultans were allowed a squad of 22 in PSL 11, as set out on the retention rules page.
What is still unknown for PSL 12?
The PCB has confirmed the PSL 12 auction for 23 January 2027 but has not said whether the PSL 11 squad and overseas limits will apply. Until it does, treat the numbers above as last season’s rules. The PSL 11 auction limits are explained on the auction rules page, the salary side is on salary and purse, and you can test a squad against the limits with the auction purse calculator.
Sources: PCB (8 October 2016 release and 2022 playing conditions), Wisden, Geo and Samaa for PSL 11. Method: methodology and data sources.