Sialkot Stallionz - (Source: X.com)
PSL 2026 will begin on March 26 and is set to overlap with IPL for a second straight season. The PCB has decided to go big and introduced two new teams for the upcoming edition. For the unversed, the apex cricket board of Pakistan held an auction for the two new sides, which eventually went to Sialkot and Hyderabad.
In the latest event, Sialkot owner Kamil Khan has officially unveiled the team’s name, which will be known as Sialkot Stallionz. "You guessed it. You waited. Now, I am proud to officially introduce SIALKOT STALLIONZ. Excited to be part of the Pakistan Super League journey."
Sialkot Stallionz owner reflects on new journey in PSL
Notably, PSL started with five teams, and eventually, it added three more teams over the years. OZ Developers, owned by Hamza Majeed, acquired the ownership rights for the eighth PSL franchise at a star-studded auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre on 8 January.
OZ Developers eventually emerged as the winning bidder with Rs 1.85 billion, naming the new franchise after the city of Sialkot. Notably, five names - Falcons, Stallions, Shaheen, Thunders, Sixers were the five options, before Sialkot decided on giving Stallionz a go-ahead after taking fans' opinion.
Sialkot- A rich history in Pakistan cricket
Sialkot is a new name in PSL, but overall, it has a rich history in Pakistan cricket. Between 2005 and 2012, the team won six National T20 Cup titles, including a world-record 25-match unbeaten streak, making them the most successful side in Pakistan’s domestic T20 history.
Notably, the Stallions have produced some of the big names in cricket, such as Shoaib Malik and Imran Nazir. Further, Stallions' latest appearance was during the 2025 Champions One-Day Cup, which was led by Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris. The side reached the eliminator but suffered a defeat against the Lions in the tournament.
PSL 16 pre-auction categories
Interestingly, besides the addition of two new teams, the PSL will shift to auction mode, replacing their traditional draft format. Now, all six pre-existing teams will retain a few players across categories, but Sialkot and Hyderabad will have to fill all the slots.
At present, the PCB has not clarified the rules and purse details for the auction, but under the revised player acquisition framework, each franchise may retain a maximum of four players, limited to one player per category. Previously, every franchise was allowed to retain 8 players from their squad, including a mentor, a brand ambassador, and a right to match option to retain a 9th player in the Player Draft.
However, Sialkot and Hyderabad are expected to be given a big purse or follow IPL-like system, where Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants were allowed to pick three players each before the auction. It was during that time that Shubman Gill was roped in at the Titans and KL Rahul was named as the captain for lucknow Super Giants during IPL 2023.
