PSL has reached glorious heights. It is a power-packed event and is conducted every year. PSL has maintained its financial stability and is regarded as the most profitable domestic T20 league. Big investors have supported the league, and players’ salary is determined according to their ranking in different categories. Check out the Top 5 Most Expensive Players of PSL 2024.
The league uses a draft system for player recruitment in the PSL teams. The players get ranked according to their skill in the Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Emerging, and Supplementary categories. Players from other countries are registered to compete in the top two categories. In this way, their salaries are determined.
Year-wise list of Top Most Expensive Players of PSL
PSL is the celebrated cricket tournament not only in Pakistan but across the globe. PSL has become the most expensive cricket league. Its credit goes to the investors that have supported it throughout the years. Here is a year-wise list of the most expensive players of PSL until now.
Most Expensive Player of PSL 1
Darren Sammy
Started his PSL career by being a player of Peshawar Zalmi; Daren Sammy was the highest-paid player of the inaugural season of PSL and came in the most prominent Top 5 Most Expensive Players of PSL. He was placed in the Platinum category of the PSL 2016 players’ draft. His total amount is estimated to be $170,000 for representing Peshawar Zalmi. His performance is power packed on the ground, and his PSL stats are glorified with his bowling and batting skills.
Most Expensive player of PSL 2
Shoaib Malik
The former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, Shoaib Malik, has a phenomenal PSL career and is the brightest one from the Top 5 Most Expensive Players of PSL. So far, he has represented three teams in the Pakistan Super League. In 2017, in PSL season 2, he was the most-paid player representing Karachi Kings. He scored in the crucial matches and ended the second season as the 3rd highest run-scorer in the tournament.
Most Expensive Player of PSL 3
Misbah-ul-Haq
The Mianwali-born cricketer Misbah-ul-Haq made a good reputation since the inaugural season of PSL. He was appointed in the Platinum category for Islamabad United. In the third season, he was ranked as the most expensive player of PSL 3. He charged $170,000 for playing in the third season of the PSL.
Most Expensive Player of PSL 4
Colin Ingram
One of the finest players in South Africa, Colin Ingram, played for Islamabad United in PSL 4. He is considered the most dangerous player in cricket history and is ranked in the PSL platinum players category earning the highest salary that season. In PSL 2019, he celebrated his century in the Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators match.
Most Expensive Player of PSL 5
Shahid Afridi
One of the greatest all-rounders of all time, Shahid Khan Afridi, is the best Pakistani bowler and former Pakistan cricket team captain. He has been the most desirable player for PSL 5, representing Multan Sultans, and was the most expensive player that season. Afridi is also known as Boom Boom or Lala in Pakistan.
Most Expensive player of PSL 6
Chris Gayle
Playing for Quetta Gladiators in PSL 2021, Chris Gayle returned to form as he scored a rapid 68 against Lahore Qalandars. He brought up his 86th T20 fifty and, in doing so, created a significant world record in the shortest form of the game. Despite his batting heroics, Gayle ended up on the losing side as the Quetta Gladiators succumbed to their second successive defeat in the tournament.
One of the crucial players for Karachi Kings in PSL 2021, Babar Azam holds the record for scoring the most runs in PSL 6. He was the most-paid player of PSL 6 by being placed in the platinum category.
Most Expensive Player of PSL 7
Sarfraz Ahmed
Sarfraz Ahmed is the x-caption of the Pakistan international team. In PSL 2022 Top 10 Expensive Players, his name is included. He plays for Quetta Gladiators. He is an experienced wicketkeeper and a right-handed batsman. His role in the team is as a wicketkeeper and Middle-order batsman.
PSL Players Category Contracts
PCB and team franchises have finalized the PSL 2024 draft for player selection, which will be announced at the end of December. Each player participating in the PSL 2024 is categorized according to their “value.” PCB offers five types of contracts to the PSL player.
From Platinum class players at the top end to Emerging class players at the bottom, the player’s salary is determined by their category. Supplementary players are picked by teams but are not paid unless they join the squad for the tournament.
Franchises can buy back a maximum of one player released on the draft day by paying the respective fee against each category. Players of the same categories get paid equal amounts regardless of their stature in the cricketing world.
- Platinum ($130,000-$170,000)
- Diamond ($60,000-$80,000)
- Gold ($40,000-$50,000)
- Silver ($15,000-$25,000)
- Emerging ($7,500)
- Supplementary ($50,000)
More than 425 players from 32 countries are registered for the draft of the eighth edition of PSL. For the emerging category, players should be under 23.
| Contract | PSL Salary | Notes |
| Platinum | 2,30,44,000 (PKR)$170,000 | Each team can pick three players from this category |
| Diamond | 1,15,22,000 (PKR)$80,000 | Teams can choose three players from this category |
| Gold | 82,30,000 (PKR)$50,000 | A total of 3 players can be taken from this category as well |
| Silver | 41,15,000 (PKR)$25000 | Franchises can choose five players from this category |
| Emerging | 16,46,000 (PKR)$7,500 | Each franchise can sign up to 2 emerging players |
Platinum
Platinum is the premium category in the Pakistan Super League. It includes the PSL Auction’s highest-paid players in the league. This category of players, like all others, earns the same amount of money, which is, in this case, 170.000 USD.
Each team can pick only three players from this category when drafting. This category also includes all the star players in the league and the world. During the 2024 draft, 18 players from this class were selected.
| Players | Teams | Salary (PKR) |
| Kieron Pollard | Peshawar Zalmi | 2,30,44,000 |
| Babar Azam | Karachi Kings | 2,30,44,000 |
| Dale Steyn | Islamabad United | 2,30,44,000 |
| Colin Ingram | Islamabad United | 2,30,44,000 |
| Muhammad Hafeez | Lahore Qalandars | 2,30,44,000 |
| Mohammad Amir | Karachi Kings | 2,30,44,000 |
| Wahab Riaz | Peshawar Zalmi | 2,30,44,000 |
| Hassan Raza | Peshawar Zalmi | 2,30,44,000 |
| Chris Lynn | Lahore Qalandars | 2,30,44,000 |
| Sarfaraz Ahmed | Quetta Gladiators | 2,30,44,000 |
Diamond
Diamond is the second most expansive category of players in the league. Each player from this category earns 85.000 USD. Each franchise can pick up to three players in this category.
This is the second-best category of players in the league. A total of 20 players have been in this category during the latest draft of PSL 2024.
| Players | Teams | Salary (PKR) |
| Faheem Ashraf | Islamabad United | 1,15,22,000 |
| Asif Ali | Islamabad United | 1,15,22,000 |
| Imad Wasim | Karachi Kings | 1,15,22,000 |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | Karachi Kings | 1,15,22,000 |
| David Wiese | Lahore Qalandars | 1,15,22,000 |
| Shaheen Afridi | Lahore Qalandars | 1,15,22,000 |
| Usman Shinwari | Lahore Qalandars | 1,15,22,000 |
| Shahid Afridi | Multan Sultans | 1,15,22,000 |
| Kamran Akmal | Peshawar Zalmi | 1,15,22,000 |
| Shane Watson | Quetta Gladiators | 1,15,22,000 |
Gold
The third salary category on this list is reserved for the Gold players. Same as was the case with the previous two categories, each franchise has the right to pick up to three players in the category, but in the latest draft, Lahore Qalandars get an extra in the replacement round.
Every player in this category gets a 50.000 USD salary, and the category has many of the top players worldwide, including Alex Hales and Shahid Afridi. During the latest draft, 19 players, including five foreigners and fourteen locals, are selected in this category.
| Player | Team | Salary (PKR) |
| Luke Ronchi | Islamabad United | 82,30,000 |
| Hussain Talat | Islamabad United | 82,30,000 |
| Aamer Yamin | Karachi Kings | 82,30,000 |
| Sohail Akhtar | Lahore Qalandars | 82,30,000 |
| Haris Rauf | Lahore Qalandars | 82,30,000 |
| James Vince | Multan Sultans | 82,30,000 |
| Junaid Khan | Multan Sultans | 82,30,000 |
| Darren Sammy | Peshawar Zalmi | 82,30,000 |
| Imam-ul Haq | Peshawar Zalmi | 82,30,000 |
| Umer Akmal | Quetta Gladiators | 82,30,000 |
Silver
Silver is the second least expensive category in the Pakistan Super League.
In this category, each player earns 25.000 USD. The category includes all the remaining above-average players in the league.
During the latest PSL draft, a total of 40 players were selected in this category, and out of these 40, 13 players are from foreign countries, and the remaining are local.
| Player | Team | Salary |
| Ammad Butt | Islamabad United | 41,15,000 |
| Rizwan Hussain | Islamabad United | 41,15,000 |
| Mohammad Musa | Islamabad United | 41,15,000 |
| Usama Mir | Karachi Kings | 41,15,000 |
| Salman Butt | Lahore Qalandars | 41,15,000 |
| Shan Masood | Multan Sultans | 41,15,000 |
| Ali Shafiq | Multan Sultans | 41,15,000 |
| Umar Amin | Peshawar Zalmi | 41,15,000 |
| Naseem Shah | Quetta Gladiators | 41,15,000 |
| Ahsan Ali | Quetta Gladiators | 41,15,000 |
Emerging Players
Emerging is the last and the least expensive category of the players in the PSL. Each player from this tier earns 7.500 USD, a category created to bring the rising talent of the league some earnings and provide them with more opportunities.
According to the PSL draft rules, each franchise in the league must pick at least two players from this category, and during the latest draft, 16 players were selected and were rookies in the league during the last season.
| Player Name | Team | Salary (USD) |
| Faisal Akram | Karachi Kings | $7,500 |
| Qasim Akram | Karachi Kings | $7,500 |
| Mohammad Taha Khan | Karachi Kings | $7,500 |
| Mubasir Khan | Islamabad United | $7,500 |
| Zeeshan Zameer | Islamabad United | $7,500 |
| Mohammad Huraira | Islamabad United | $7,500 |
| Zaman Khan | Lahore Qalandars | $7,500 |
| Maaz Khan | Lahore Qalandars | $7,500 |
| Muhammad Ashar Qureshi | Quetta Gladiators | $7,500 |
| Abdul Wahid Bangalzai | Quetta Gladiators | $7,500 |
| Ghulam Mudassar | Quetta Gladiators | $7,500 |
| Sirajuddin | Peshawar Zalmi | $7,500 |
| Muhammad Amir Khan | Peshawar Zalmi | $7,500 |
| Mohammad Umer | Peshawar Zalmi | $7,500 |
| Abbas Afridi | Multan Sultan | $7,500 |
| Amir Azmat | Multan Sultan | $7,500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team is more expensive in the PSL?
PSL consists of 6 teams representing six cities and cultures of Pakistan. Every team in PSL is valuable according to their performance. Multan Sultans was bought by Schön Properties for a price of US$5.2 million per year, becoming the most expensive team of the PSL.
How much is the salary of PSL?
PSL offers salaries to the players according to the categories; they fall into. PCB has declared five categories for player selection and for determining their salary.
The platinum category ranges between $130,000-170,000. The diamond category ranges between $70,000-85,000. The gold category ranges between $40,000-50,000. The silver category ranges between $15,000-25,000.
Summary
Gone were the days when it was said cricket had no future. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is now among the world’s most watched and profitable cricket leagues. Certain players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf will surely be on the list of the next Top 5 Most Expensive Players of PSL.
In the same way, players are earning pretty much from this league. There are five categories of players, and their salary is respective to the category in which they are ranked. The highest-paid players are categorized in the platinum category, and then comes the diamond, and so on. This guide is the complete information on the Top 5 Most Expensive Players of PSL 2024.
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