Cricket
Most Expensive Player in PSL History
Know the names that feature on the list of the most expensive players in PSL history and how much they earn. Also, know the PSL auction process.
No single cricketer is the most expensive player in PSL history as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) operates on drafting players and not on auction, like IPL. While the Indian Premier League sees players going for huge prices in a grand auction event between franchises, PSL players are divided into six categories based on which their salaries are decided.
The PSL draft picks are divided into Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Supplementary and Emerging categories. Needless to say, the most elite of players feature in the Platinum category and get paid the highest.
Below, we list the 18 players in the platinum category for PSL 2024, the tournament’s ninth edition as per Sports Unfold. Each player in the Platinum category could receive up to a whopping USD 170,000 and each franchise can retain only three Platinum category players.
PSL Player Salaries (Highest)
Full list (2024)
| Serial No | Player Name | Team | Salary (USD) | Salary (INR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babar Azam | Karachi Kings | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 2 | Imad Wasim | Karachi Kings | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 3 | Chris Jordan | Karachi Kings | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 4 | Hasan Ali | Islamabad United | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 5 | Asif Ali | Islamabad United | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 6 | Colin Munro | Islamabad United | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 7 | Shaheen Shah Afridi | Lahore Qalandars | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 8 | Rashid Khan | Lahore Qalandars | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 9 | Fakhar Zaman | Lahore Qalandars | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 10 | Sarfraz Ahmed | Quetta Gladiators | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 11 | James Vince | Quetta Gladiators | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 12 | Jason Roy | Quetta Gladiators | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 13 | Wahab Riaz | Peshawar Zalmi | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 14 | Liam Livingstone | Peshawar Zalmi | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 15 | Hazar Ullah Zazai | Peshawar Zalmi | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 16 | Muhammad Rizwan | Multan Sultan | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 17 | Rille Rossouw | Multan Sultan | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
| 18 | Tim David | Multan Sultan | $170,000 | 1.4 Cr |
Former Pakistan skipper and PSL’s biggest star Babar Azam is undoubtedly the highest-paid player in PSL along with other T20 stars like Rashid Khan, Colin Munro, Chris Jordan and more.
While the Diamond category players could receive up to $85,000, the Gold category names can earn up to $50,000. The upper limit of the Supplementary Category is the same as Gold, but it further goes down to $25,000 in the Silver Category. The lowest upper limit amongst PSL categories is $7500, which belongs to the Emerging Category for the upcoming talents.
PSL Total Budget
One might wonder why PSL’s highest-paid players earn so much less than IPL’s 2024 auction stars Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. The answer to that is the PSL’s total budget. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) received sponsorship worth PKR 391.7 crore (US$22.2 million) for the 2022–2025 season.
During the PSL 2023 season, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made PKR 5.62 billion ($1,98,34,127.04) in revenue as the league has now expanded to six franchises. In 2022, every team's maximum purse amount was $1.2 million.
PSL Players Price List 2023: Each Category
Platinum Category
PSL Players Price List 2023
| Serial No | Player | Team | Salary (USD) | Salary (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Hales | Islamabad United | 170,000 | 40,800,000 |
| 2 | Shadab Khan | Islamabad United | 170,000 | 40,800,000 |
| 3 | Babar Azam | Peshawar Zalmi | 170,000 | 36,000,000 |
| 4 | Fakhar Zaman | Lahore Qalandars | 170,000 | 31,200,000 |
| 5 | Imran Tahir | Karachi Kings | 170,000 | 40,800,000 |
Diamond Category
PSL Players Price List 2023
| Serial No. | Player | Team | Salary (USD) | Salary (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asif Ali | Islamabad United | 85,000 | 20,400,000 |
| 2 | Muhammad Wasim Jnr | Islamabad United | 85,000 | 20,400,000 |
| 3 | James Vince | Karachi Kings | 85,000 | 20,400,000 |
| 4 | James Fuller | Karachi Kings | 85,000 | 20,400,000 |
| 5 | David Wiese | Lahore Qalandars | 85,000 | 20,400,000 |
Gold Category
PSL Players Price List 2023
| Serial No | Player | Team | Salary (USD) | Salary (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahsan Ali | Quetta Gladiators | 50,000 | 12,000,000 |
| 2 | Sarfaraz Ahmad | Quetta Gladiators | 50,000 | 12,000,000 |
| 3 | Muhammad Hasnain | Quetta Gladiators | 50,000 | 12,000,000 |
| 4 | Muhammad Haris | Peshawar Zalmi | 50,000 | 12,000,000 |
| 5 | Tim David | Multan Sultans | 50,000 | 12,000,000 |
Supplementary Category
PSL Players Price List 2023
| Serial No. | Player | Team | Salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moeen Ali | Islamabad United | 50,000 |
| 2 | Mubasir Khan | Islamabad United | 50,000 |
| 3 | Tabraiz Shamsi | Karachi Kings | 50,000 |
| 4 | Muhammad Umar | Karachi Kings | 50,000 |
| 5 | Jordan Cox | Lahore Qalandars | 50,000 |
Silver Category
PSL Players Price List 2023
| Serial No. | Player | Team | Salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Stirling | Islamabad United | 25,000 |
| 2 | Colin Munro | Islamabad United | 25,000 |
| 3 | Sohaib Maqsood | Islamabad United | 25,000 |
| 4 | Rumman Raees | Islamabad United | 25,000 |
| 5 | Abrar Ahmad | Islamabad United | 25,000 |
Emerging Category
PSL Players Price List 2023
| Serial No | Player | Team | Salary (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hasan Nawaz | Islamabad United | 7500$ |
| 2 | Zeeshan Zamir | Islamabad United | 7500$ |
| 3 | Irfan Khan Niazi | Karachi Kings | 7500$ |
| 4 | Qasim Akram | Karachi Kings | 7500$ |
| 5 | Zaman Khan | Lahore Qalandars | 7500$ |
FAQs
There is a cap on the amount that the best players in the PSL may make because they are chosen through a draft. With a basic fee of $130,000, participants can earn up to $170,000 in the Platinum category, which is the highest tier.
The total prize money of the Pakistan Super League in Indian rupees is INR 3.67 crores.
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An M.A. in English Literature, Subhayan is an experienced journalist and sports writer. Having worked as a journalist at Hindustan Times, Subhayan covered diverse beats including sports, education, and health, showcasing his versatility and in-depth understanding of various subjects.