The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has turned down a proposal to reduce the salaries of Pakistani players in the Pakistan Super League, drawing a clear line under player pay ahead of the league’s twelfth season. The decision came out of a virtual meeting between PCB officials and franchise owners, where the board made it clear that salaries would remain untouched.
During the session, one franchise owner raised the issue of high player salaries and suggested the board review the current pay structure for local cricketers. The PCB declined to approve the proposal, signalling its commitment to protecting player earnings as the league prepares for its next cycle.
Money matters dominated much of the discussion beyond salaries. The PCB instructed all stakeholders with outstanding dues to settle their payments by October 31, putting defaulting franchises and commercial partners on notice. An official from one of the defaulting companies assured the board that his company would meet its financial obligations. “We are not going to run away. I will arrange a bank guarantee against my land and submit it to the PCB,” he said. A representative of another defaulting franchise, however, said he was unaware of the matter and added that only the company’s owner could provide further details.
The meeting also produced key dates for PSL 12. The player auction for the season is expected to take place on January 23, though one franchise owner floated the idea of holding it in China. The PCB fixed January 13 as the deadline for player retentions, a timeline another franchise owner suggested shifting to December. The owner of a third team said he would share his views after consulting his cricket operations team.
On the tournament calendar, PSL 12 is proposed to begin on March 18, with the final scheduled for May 2 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The South Asian Games, set for April 4 to 11 in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, have been factored into the planning, with no PSL matches to be held in those cities during the event. The final schedule will be confirmed at the next meeting of the cricket committee.
Looking beyond logistics, PCB officials used the meeting to brief franchise representatives on promising young cricketers emerging from school cricket. The board expressed its intention to develop these players into future stars and encouraged franchises to assess their abilities, identify talented prospects and groom them within their own setups. Franchise owners responded positively to the proposal.
With salaries protected, retention deadlines set and the auction window agreed in principle, PSL 12 planning is now moving into its next phase. The next cricket committee meeting will lock in the final schedule, and all eyes will turn to the January retention window and the auction that will shape the squads for the twelfth season.
