Who are the 3 most expensive buys in PSL 2026 Auction?

The first-ever Pakistan Super League (PSL) player auction produced blockbuster deals and eye-watering price tags as franchises reshaped their squads ahead of the 2026 season. The inaugural PSL auction showcased that the franchises are ready to pay huge sums to acquire the services of the best players across the world. This will now mark a new era for the PSL.

With the traditional draft replaced by a player auction from this season by the Pakistan Cricket Board, all eight teams, including the newly added Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen, went all out for top talent, resulting in some massive bids for the players that went under the hammer.

Here are the 3 most expensive players from PSL 2026 auction

3. Daryl Mitchell – Rawalpindi (PKR 8.05 crore/INR 2.6 crore)

Rawalpindi continued their big-ticket spending by bringing in New Zealand superstar Daryl Mitchell for PKR 8.05 crore. The New Zealand all-rounder adds significant balance to the side with his middle-order hitting and useful seam bowling.  

The Kiwi batter is known for his attacking stroke-play, especially against spin bowling, and will be a crucial batter for the team on Pakistani pitches.

2. Faheem Ashraf – Islamabad United (PKR 8.5 crore/INR 2.75 crore)

All-rounder Faheem Ashraf went for PKR 8.50 crore to Islamabad United, making him one of the standout buys of the auction. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball gives the Islamabad-based franchise a valuable utility player in all phases of the game. 

Faheem’s recent T20 World Cup heroics against the Netherlands might have played a part in getting this much demand from the teams in the inaugural PSL auction.

1. Naseem Shah – Rawalpindi (PKR 8.65 crore/INR 2.8 crore) 

Pakistan’s premier fast bowler Naseem Shah emerged as the most expensive player on auction night, with Rawalpindi outbidding rivals, including Karachi Kings, to secure his services for the upcoming season with a record-breaking auction price of PKR 8.65 crore. Known for his raw pace and ability to trouble batters, Naseem’s price tag reflects his high demand in T20 leagues worldwide.

Other Notable deals from PSL 2026 Auction

Just shy of the eight-crore mark were Fakhar Zaman (PKR 7.95 crore) to Lahore Qalandars and David Warner (PKR 7.9 crore) to Karachi Kings. Both left-handed openers were successful in receiving high bids. Haris Rauf, the Pakistan superstar who was omitted from the squad for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, also drew a big bid at PKR 7.6 crore.