Several high-profile international cricketers went unsold during the historic first-ever player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), held at the Expo Centre in Lahore on Wednesday.
Among the biggest names overlooked were England batters Dawid Malan and Jason Roy, along with Australia’s seasoned opener Usman Khawaja. The franchises opted to revamp their squads under a new bidding structure, prioritising different combinations of international and domestic talent ahead of PSL 11, which is scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 3.
A number of prominent overseas stars also failed to attract bids. These included England’s left-arm pacer Reece Topley, Australia’s emerging T20 sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk, New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham, and South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen, Tony de Zorzi, and Keshav Maharaj.
Well-known T20 specialists such as Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Alzarri Joseph, and Pakistan fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani were also surprisingly overlooked. Similarly, Bangladesh’s experienced duo Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, along with Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka, did not secure contracts at the auction.
Among Pakistani players, several established and emerging names remained unsold. These included Hussain Talat, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Zeeshan, Zahid Mehmood, Musa Khan, and Rohail Nazir. Young prospects such as Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan, and Pakistan Under-19 captain Farhan Yousaf also went without selection.
Other notable players who were not picked include Evin Lewis, Brandon King, Moises Henriques, Imran Tahir, and Saad Ali.
The auction reflected a strategic shift by franchises as they look to build balanced squads under the revised format for the upcoming season.