The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday released the fifth qualified bid for the much-anticipated bidding of two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises ahead of the landmark 11th edition of the tournament.
The cricket board made the announcement through its official social media platforms: “DSM Confirmed for 5th of 10 bids in HBL PSL Teams Auction.”
The rights auction is scheduled to take place on Thursday at the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad, while the 11th edition of the PSL is scheduled to be held from March 26 to May 3.
Meanwhile, the PCB has already confirmed four qualified bidders, building further momentum around what is being called a historic expansion phase for the league.
The PSL is to be expanded from six to eight teams, with the PCB completing technical evaluations of proposals submitted by interested parties before finalizing the eligible bidders.
Among those already confirmed is the Tareen Group, led by businessman Ali Khan Tareen, who previously owned the Multan Sultan franchise.
Tareen took over the team in 2018 and turned it into one of the league’s most consistent teams, winning the PSL title in 2021 and reaching multiple finals.
However, relations between Tareen and the PCB later soured over franchise renewal terms and governance issues.
Controversy escalated after the PCB issued a legal notice alleging that he, the only franchisee not granted a 10-year extension, had breached the contract.
Tareen announced his exit from the league at the end of 2025, which took effect at the end of the year, making him eligible to bid for one of the newly introduced franchises.
Other confirmed bidders include Karachi-based VGO TEL, led by chief executive Naveed Ghaba, which has formally entered the race.
Successful bidders will then be allowed to select their hometown from the PCB-approved list, which includes Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.
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