The Pakistan Super League has a massive problem, and it’s one that money, or even adding more teams, can’t seem to fix. As we head into the 2026 season, the "grand expansion" to eight teams feels less like growth and more like a desperate cry for attention. While the PSL tries to act like it’s on the same level as the Indian Premier League, the reality is clear: when the dates clash, the real stars know exactly where to go.
Look at the names walking away. Glenn Maxwell didn't just "withdraw", he effectively shut the door on the PSL by prioritising his health and his IPL future. Harry Brook, one of the most exciting young players in the world, has shown zero interest in joining the league.
The most embarrassing part? The PSL had to extend its registration window because overseas players simply weren't signing up. It’s hard to blame them. Why would a world-class athlete choose the logistical nightmares and security questions of Pakistan when they could have the glitz, glamour, and massive paychecks of the IPL?
While the IPL remains the ultimate destination for global superstars, the PSL is left scavenging for whatever is left. Look at the names the league is actually celebrating: Faf du Plessis and Moeen Ali. Both are legendary, but they are also cricketers who have officially walked away from the IPL to find a "fresh challenge", a polite way of saying they’ve reached the end of the road in the world’s premier league.
Take Jonny Bairstow and Steve Smith, for example. These are two of the PSL's most "prized" rumoured foreign acquisitions, yet both were flat-out rejected at the IPL 2026 Mini Auction. Not a single Indian franchise thought they were worth a bid. These veterans, who have already been phased out of their national T20 teams, didn't choose the PSL out of passion; they registered because they had nowhere else to go. For players like them, a lead role in Sialkot is just a consolation prize for being unwanted in the "real" auction.
Even more telling is the inclusion of Mustafizur Rahman. "The Fizz" didn't choose the PSL over the IPL; he was effectively forced out after the BCCI intervened in his contract with KKR due to geopolitical tensions. When the only way to get a "star" is through an IPL exit or a retirement announcement, you aren't a rival league, you’re a safety net.
Even the new franchises tell the story. The two new PSL teams were sold for a combined price that is less than what a single IPL team spends on just a few players. While the IPL is a global festival of cricket, the PSL is starting to look like a local tournament that's trying too hard. If the big names don't care about the PSL, why should the fans?
