LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) new franchise, Sialkot Stallionz, has announced Former Australian captain Tim Paine as its head coach.
The management announced the new head coach on social media.
The OZ Group won the honor of buying the most expensive team in history for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11, which acquired the ownership rights of the Sialkot franchise for Rs 185 crore for 10 years.
Hyderabad Head Coach
Earlier, the new franchise of the Pakistan Super League, Hyderabad, appointed Jason Gillespie as its head coach.
According to media reports, negotiations between former head coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Jason Gillespie, and the new franchise of the PSL, Hyderabad, have been successful.
The former head coach of the national team will now coach Hyderabad. A formal agreement has been reached between the parties.
In April 2024, Jason Gillespie was appointed as the head coach of the Test squad, along with Gary Kirsten, who led the white-ball squad.
In December 2024, he resigned from the position before Pakistan’s two-match Test series in South Africa due to strained relations with the PCB.
Now Jason Gillespie will be seen coaching Hyderabad in the PSL starting in March.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially revised PSL 11 player categories, announcing promotions and retentions ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League season. The update, released in Lahore on Wednesday, outlines changes to local player rankings and confirms the league’s first-ever player auction scheduled for February 11.
PCB confirms player promotions and retention rules
The PCB confirmed that 89 local players have been assigned new PSL 11 player categories, with five cricketers promoted to the top Platinum bracket. Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha leads the list, alongside Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, and Abrar Ahmed. Except for Farhan, who moved up from Gold, the remaining players were promoted from the Diamond category.
Under revised rules, each franchise can retain a maximum of four players, with only one allowed from each category. After the retention process concludes, teams will complete their squads through the player auction, marking a structural shift aimed at increasing competition balance.
Several established stars, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf, retained their Platinum status following strong performances in the previous season.
Category distribution across franchises
The Diamond category features 11 players spread across five teams, while 32 players have been placed in Gold. Movements were also noted in lower tiers, with Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sufyan Moqim, and Mohammad Wasim Jr advancing to Diamond, and several Emerging players earning Silver or Gold promotions.
The PCB said the renewals reflect recent performances and long-term potential, reinforcing transparency in player evaluation. Franchises and fans are now expected to focus on retention strategies as anticipation builds for the PSL 11 auction.
