Lahore (Syed Javed Hassan Shah): Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced the appointment of former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram as the brand ambassador of the HBL Pakistan Super League.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Naqvi said Wasim Akram will actively work for the promotion of the PSL and will also be present during the auction of two new PSL franchises scheduled for January 8.

PCB is now fully focused on the upcoming auction, said Naqvi, noting that there is tremendous interest from investors. He expressed confidence that the teams would be sold at strong prices. The PCB chairman revealed that 10 parties have qualified to participate in the bidding process for the two new franchises, which will take place in Islamabad on January 8.

Naqvi also announced that the Multan Sultans franchise will be auctioned after the conclusion of upcoming PSL, while the team will be operated by the PCB itself during PSL 11. He clarified that if Ali Tareen succeeds in bidding for a new team, he would be able to become its owner.

Discussing the tournament schedule, Naqvi said the PCB is considering to start PSL from March 23 instead of March 26, adding that the final decision will be taken after consultation with all franchises.

Commenting on recent developments in international cricket, Naqvi highlighted that the PCB has written a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the inappropriate conduct of Indian players during the Under-19 Asia Cup. He said that if Indian players are unwilling to shake hands with Pakistani players, “we too are not eager for handshakes.”

A day ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board shortlisted 10 bidders for the sale of two new HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise teams, who will now participate in the auction, scheduled for January 8.

According to a PCB statement, posted on X, the PCB Bid Committee has successfully completed the technical evaluation of proposals, submitted by interested parties, for the sale of the two new HBL PSL franchises.

A total of 12 proposals were received from bidders from across the globe and were scrutinised by the PCB Bid Committee, the statement said. Following a thorough and transparent evaluation process, the PCB Bid Committee qualified 10 bidders who met the technical criteria and have now advanced to the second stage, it added.

These 10 technically qualified bidders will proceed to participate in the auction scheduled for January 08, 2026, at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

At the auction, the successful bidders will have the right to choose their franchise team names from among the following cities: Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad and Sialkot.