Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, a key contributor to Lahore Qalandars’ championship-winning campaign in last year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL), has been released by the franchise ahead of the upcoming player auction. In the previous season, Rishad claimed 13 wickets in seven matches, emerging as the team’s highest wicket-taking spinner. Despite this performance, Lahore have opted not to retain him under the league’s new retention rules.
For the first time in PSL history, the league will replace the traditional player draft with an auction. Previously, franchises could retain up to eight players. Under the revised regulations, each team may now retain only four players across various categories. Lahore Qalandars announced their retained players on social media yesterday: Shahid Afridi (Platinum), Abdullah Shafiq (Diamond), Sikandar Raza (Gold), and Mohammad Naeem (Silver). No Emerging Category players were retained.
The PSL 2026 auction is scheduled for 11 February, with the new season set to commence on 26 March and conclude with the final on 3 May.
Rishad recently made his Big Bash League (BBL) debut in Australia, representing Hobart Hurricanes. Although his team fell short of reaching the final after losing to Sydney Sixers, Rishad’s individual performance was outstanding. He took 15 wickets in 12 matches, making him the Hurricanes’ leading wicket-taker and the most prolific spinner in the tournament.
This season, the PSL will expand from six to eight teams, with the addition of Hyderabad and Sialkot Stallions. The retention announcements by other franchises have also stirred interest among fans.
| Franchise | Retained Players | Released Players |
|---|---|---|
| Islamabad United | Shadab Khan (Platinum), Salman Irshad (Gold), Andre Gouske (Silver) | Salman Agha, Naseem 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 Nafi |
| Peshawar Zalmi | Babar Azam, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza | Saim Ayub |
| Multan Sultans | — | — |
| Sialkot Stallions | Steven Smith | — |
Lahore Qalandars’ decision to release Rishad has surprised many cricket enthusiasts, given his strong recent performances both in the PSL and overseas leagues. With two new teams joining the competition, player movements are expected to make the 2026 season highly competitive. Fans and analysts alike are keen to see which franchise will secure Rishad at the auction and how the expanded league shapes up with fresh talent.