The Pakistan Super League is poised for its first expansion since 2017, with the Pakistan Cricket Board confirming completion of independent valuation reports for two new franchises and revealing six candidate cities from which the teams will emerge.
This development represents the most concrete progress toward PSL expansion in years, transforming what had been speculation and promises into actionable plans with clear timelines and defined parameters. For cricket fans across Pakistan eagerly awaiting broader representation in the country’s premier T20 league, the announcement signals that expansion has moved from concept to imminent reality.
Valuation Process Complete
The PCB has confirmed that EY MENA, the independent valuation firm responsible for assessing existing PSL franchises, has completed its evaluation reports for the two new teams. This represents a critical milestone in the expansion process, as accurate franchise valuations establish baseline prices for the tender process and ensure financial stability for both the league and prospective owners.
Using the same valuation body that assessed existing franchises ensures consistency and credibility in the process. Potential bidders can trust that asking prices reflect genuine market values rather than arbitrary figures, while the PCB can defend its pricing decisions with independent professional assessments.
With valuations now complete, the PCB moves into the formal tender process the phase where interested parties submit bids and the board evaluates proposals based on financial capacity, operational plans, and strategic vision. This structured approach aims to identify owners capable of building sustainable, competitive franchises rather than simply accepting the highest bids.
Six Cities Competing for Two Spots
The most intriguing revelation for fans and potential franchise owners is the list of six cities from which the two new teams will emerge. The PCB has identified Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, and Rawalpindi as the available city identities for bidders to choose from.
This selection encompasses diverse regions with distinct cricketing cultures, economic profiles, and market opportunities:
Hyderabad brings a significant population base and historical cricket tradition in Sindh, offering representation beyond Karachi in Pakistan’s most populous province. The city’s cricket enthusiasts have long felt underserved by the PSL’s Sindh representation being monopolized by Karachi.
Sialkot represents one of Pakistan’s most cricket-passionate cities with a remarkable history of producing international cricketers. The city’s sporting goods manufacturing heritage and passionate fan base make it an attractive commercial prospect.
Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, would bring PSL representation to a region that has produced talented cricketers but lacks visibility in Pakistan’s premier cricket competitions. A franchise here would carry significant emotional and cultural resonance.
Faisalabad, Pakistan’s third-largest city and industrial heartland often called the country’s “Manchester,” has been among the loudest voices demanding PSL representation. The recent return of international cricket to Faisalabad strengthens the city’s case for franchise inclusion.
Gilgit offers the PSL an opportunity to extend its reach into Gilgit-Baltistan, a spectacular region with growing cricket interest but limited representation in national sporting consciousness. A franchise here would be pioneering and could unlock untapped markets.
Rawalpindi, despite hosting numerous international and PSL matches at its stadium, lacks its own franchise identity. The twin city to Islamabad could leverage its cricket infrastructure and proximity to the capital to build a strong franchise brand.
Strategic Implications of City Selection
The eventual selection of two cities from this list will significantly impact the PSL’s geographic footprint and commercial strategy. Each pairing creates different dynamics:
If both selected cities come from Punjab (Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi), the league strengthens its presence in Pakistan’s most populous and economically powerful province but risks alienating fans in other regions who seek greater representation.
Selecting one Punjab city and one from outside the province (perhaps Hyderabad, Muzaffarabad, or Gilgit) balances geographic diversity with commercial viability, spreading the PSL’s reach while maintaining strong market bases.
Choosing cities like Muzaffarabad and Gilgit would represent bold, transformative decisions that prioritize expanding cricket’s footprint into underserved regions over maximizing immediate commercial returns a strategy with long-term cultural and developmental benefits.
The PCB has wisely allowed bidders to choose their preferred city identity rather than preselecting locations. This market-driven approach ensures that franchise locations reflect genuine investor confidence and business viability rather than administrative preferences.
Why Expansion Matters Now
The PSL’s expansion comes at a strategic moment in the league’s evolution. Since launching in 2016 with five teams and expanding to six in 2017 with Multan Sultans’ addition, the league has established itself as one of cricket’s premier T20 competitions. However, the six-team format has remained static for eight years, creating demand for fresh teams and broader representation.
Expansion addresses several strategic imperatives for the PSL and Pakistan cricket:
Geographic representation: Six teams cannot adequately represent a nation of over 240 million people spread across diverse regions. Expansion allows more cities to develop ownership stakes in the league’s success.
Commercial growth: Additional franchises mean more matches, extended seasons, increased broadcasting content, and expanded sponsorship inventory all contributing to enhanced revenue generation.
Talent development: More teams create additional professional opportunities for Pakistani cricketers, particularly domestic players who struggle to secure spots in the existing six franchises.
Fan engagement: New franchises generate excitement, create fresh rivalries, and give supporters in previously unrepresented cities teams to support, potentially expanding the PSL’s overall fan base.
International competitiveness: Expanding the player pool and match volume helps Pakistan cricket develop greater depth and competitiveness across formats.
Financial and Operational Considerations
The completion of independent valuations signals the PCB’s commitment to ensuring expansion proceeds on sound financial footing. Previous discussions about PSL expansion sometimes raised concerns about franchise sustainability, market saturation, and whether additional teams would dilute quality or spread resources too thin.
By conducting thorough valuations and establishing formal tender processes, the PCB addresses these concerns proactively. The involvement of EY MENA, a globally respected advisory firm, lends credibility to the financial structuring and suggests the expansion has been planned with appropriate due diligence.
Potential franchise owners must demonstrate not just financial capacity to pay acquisition costs but also sustainable business models for ongoing operations, player development, marketing, and fan engagement. The PCB’s selection criteria should prioritize long-term viability over short-term bidding wars that might produce financially stretched owners.
The expansion also requires logistical planning adjusting tournament formats, scheduling additional matches, managing expanded player drafts, and ensuring broadcast and stadium arrangements accommodate more teams. These operational challenges, while manageable, require careful coordination.
What Happens Next
With valuations complete, the tender process represents the next critical phase. The PCB will publish formal tender documents outlining bidding procedures, evaluation criteria, timelines, and contractual obligations. Interested parties then submit proposals detailing their financial offers, operational plans, and strategic visions for their proposed franchises.
The board will evaluate submissions based on multiple factors beyond just financial bids track records in sports management, business sustainability plans, marketing strategies, and alignment with PSL’s values and objectives. This comprehensive evaluation process aims to identify owners capable of building successful franchises rather than simply the highest bidders.
Following bid evaluation and winner selection, successful bidders undergo final negotiations, due diligence, and contract execution before official announcements. The timeline for these processes will determine whether new franchises debut in the next PSL season or require additional preparation time.
Fan Expectations and Regional Pride
For supporters in the six candidate cities, this announcement transforms PSL expansion from distant possibility to tangible opportunity. Fans in Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit now have concrete reasons to hope their cities will soon have PSL representation.
This creates healthy competition among these regions to demonstrate their cricket passion and commercial viability. Local business communities, potential sponsors, and cricket administrators in candidate cities will likely mobilize support to strengthen their cities’ cases with prospective franchise owners.
The emotional investment in securing PSL franchises reflects how sports teams function as sources of civic pride and regional identity. A PSL franchise represents more than cricket it symbolizes recognition, investment, and status within Pakistan’s sporting and commercial landscapes.
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Conclusion
The Pakistan Super League’s expansion into two new cities represents a transformative moment for the league and Pakistan cricket. With independent valuations complete and six candidate cities identified, the process has moved from speculation to concrete implementation.
Whether the new franchises emerge from cricket-passionate industrial cities like Faisalabad and Sialkot, expand representation into underserved regions like Muzaffarabad and Gilgit, or follow some other combination, the expansion will reshape the PSL’s competitive and commercial landscape.
For the PCB, completing valuations marks progress toward a financially stable, geographically diverse, and globally competitive league. For fans across Pakistan, it promises new colors, fresh rivalries, and greater representation in the country’s premier cricket competition.
As the tender window approaches, anticipation builds across six cities hoping to join the PSL family. Soon, two will celebrate inclusion while four await future expansion opportunities. Regardless of which cities ultimately secure franchises, the expansion itself signals the PSL’s growth, ambition, and commitment to representing Pakistan’s diverse cricket landscape more comprehensively than ever before.
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