Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, a key contributor to Lahore Qalandars’ title-winning campaign in last year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL), will not be retained by the franchise ahead of this season’s auction. In seven matches, Rishad claimed 13 wickets, making him the most successful spinner in Lahore’s squad. Despite his impressive record, the Qalandars have opted not to keep him under the new retention rules.
This year marks a historic change for the PSL, as the league will hold an open player auction for the first time, replacing the previous draft system. In the past ten seasons, franchises could retain up to eight players. Under the new regulations, teams are allowed to retain only four players across different categories.
Lahore Qalandars announced their retained players on social media:
| Category | Player Name |
|---|---|
| Platinum | Shaheen Afridi |
| Diamond | Abdullah Shafique |
| Gold | Sikandar Raza |
| Silver | Mohammad Naeem |
The franchise did not retain any players under the Emerging category.
The PSL 2026 auction is scheduled for 11 February, with the league set to begin on 26 March and conclude with the final on 3 May.
Rishad Hossain has also recently gained experience in Australia’s domestic T20 competition, the Big Bash League (BBL). Representing Hobart Hurricanes for the first time, he took 15 wickets in 12 matches, emerging as the team’s leading wicket-taker, even though they fell short of reaching the final against Sydney Sixers. No other spinner in the Hurricanes’ squad outperformed him in this season.
This PSL season will also see the expansion of the league from six to eight teams with the addition of Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallions, raising the stakes for both retained and auctioned players.
Other franchises have already revealed their retention decisions:
| Franchise | Retained Players (Category) | Released Players |
|---|---|---|
| Islamabad United | Shadab Khan (Platinum), Salman Irshad (Gold), Andres Gouske (Silver) | Salman Aga, Nasim Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Nawaz |
| Karachi Kings | Hasan Ali (Platinum), Khushdil Shah (Gold), Abbas Afridi (Diamond), Saad Beg (Emerging) | Shan Masood, Amer Jamal |
| Quetta Gladiators | Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamil Hossain | Mohammad Amir, Riley Russo, Mark Chapman, Khaja Nafik |
| Peshawar Zalmi | Babar Azam, Sufiyan Mukim, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza | Saeem Ayub |
| Multan Sultans | None | — |
| Sialkot Stallions (new) | Steven Smith (signed) | — |
As the auction approaches, players like Rishad Hossain will be under close scrutiny, with franchises looking to strengthen their spin options and balance their squads under the new retention and category rules. With the addition of two new teams and fresh auction dynamics, the 2026 PSL season promises to be one of the most competitive yet.