The Pakistan Super League’s 11th edition is planned to be held from March 26 to May 3, 2026, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday, while also announcing that the auction for two proposed new franchises would take place on January 8.

The announcements were made during a PCB investor roadshow in New York, part of an overseas promotional campaign aimed at attracting commercial interest ahead of a potential expansion of the league from six to eight teams.

The PCB has previously indicated that expansion is under consideration, though the addition of new franchises has not yet been formally ratified.

Addressing attendees at the event, Mohsin said the PCB had taken administrative control of the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium and intended to begin renovation work.

He added that efforts were under way to have the venue ready in time for the PSL, though he acknowledged that completion before the tournament was not guaranteed.

“We are starting Muzaffarabad’s stadium, which we have taken over, and our target is to get it ready before the PSL. If not, then work will be initiated within this year,” he said.

Mohsin also stated that the deadline for submission of bids for the new franchises had been extended to December 22, citing interest from prospective investors.

On Sunday, the PSL trophy was displayed at Times Square, where members of Pakistan’s cricketing diaspora gathered for photographs and brief interactions with players and officials.

The PCB said the event was intended to raise the league’s profile among overseas audiences. Several Pakistan cricketers attended the engagement, including Shan Masood, as well as former players Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja.

The PCB also said members of the current national setup were present, though no official matches or cricketing activities were scheduled as part of the programme. Singer Ali Zafar, who has previously been associated with PSL anthems, was also in attendance.

The New York event followed a similar promotional stop at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London earlier this year. The PCB has described these activities as part of a broader effort to enhance the league’s commercial value and visibility beyond traditional markets.

Launched in 2016, the PSL has grown into Pakistan’s flagship T20 competition, initially staged entirely overseas before returning to home venues in phases.

While the league has attracted international players and broadcasters, it has also faced scheduling challenges due to Pakistan’s crowded international calendar and competition from other T20 leagues.

The PCB has yet to release detailed information regarding venues, player drafts or confirmation of new teams for the 2026 season.

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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Friday an extension of the deadline for submitting bids for the two new franchises in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), citing growing interest from investors in Europe, the United States, the Middle East and beyond.

In a post on X , Mohsin said the original deadline of December 15 had been pushed back by one week to December 22, to accommodate the surge in inquiries.

“Witnessing growing interest from Europe, USA, the Middle East and beyond in acquiring new HBL PSL teams, we have decided to extend the bid submission deadline by one week to 22 December 2025,” he wrote, while quoting an earlier PSL announcement about a promotional roadshow in New York.

“Good luck to everyone excited to welcome our new franchise owners to the HBL PSL family,” Mohsin added.

The announcement came on the very day the PCB hosted a high-profile PSL roadshow in New York City, featuring current Pakistan players including T20 captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel, along with legends Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja, and singer Ali Zafar.

The event followed a similar roadshow at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London last week, as part of efforts to attract global investment ahead of the league’s expansion to eight teams for its 11th edition in 2026.

The addition of two new franchises marks the PSL’s first major structural growth since 2018, when Multan Sultans joined as the sixth team.

The auction for the new teams is expected to follow shortly after the bidding process concludes.

Mohsin, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, has been vocal about elevating the PSL’s global standing, including recent pledges for transparent bidding and infrastructure development.

The league’s expansion is seen as a step towards enhancing its commercial appeal and competitiveness on the international T20 circuit.

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Angry spectators broke down barricades and stormed the pitch at a stadium in India after football star Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of the country, abruptly left the arena.

As a part of a so-called GOAT Tour, the 38-year-old Argentina and Inter Miami superstar touched down in the eastern state of West Bengal early Saturday, greeted by a chorus of exuberant fans chanting his name.

Hours later, thousands of fans wearing Messi jerseys and waving the Argentine flag packed into Salt Lake stadium in the state capital Kolkata, but heavy security around the footballer left fans struggling to catch a glimpse of him.

Messi walked around the pitch waving to fans and left the stadium earlier than expected.

Frustrated fans, many having paid more than $100 for tickets, ripped out stadium seats and hurled water bottles onto the track.

Many others stormed the pitch and vandalised banners and tents.

“For me, to watch Messi is a pleasure, a dream. But I have missed the chance to have a glimpse because of the mismanagement in the stadium,” businessman Nabin Chatterjee, 37, told AFP.

Before the chaos erupted, Messi unveiled a 21-metre (70-foot) statue which shows him holding aloft the World Cup.

He was also expected to play a short exhibition game at the stadium.

Another angry fan told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that people had spent “a month’s salary” to see Messi.

“I paid Rs 5,000 ($55) for the ticket and came with my son to watch Messi, not politicians. The police and military personnel were taking selfies, and the management is to blame,” Ajay Shah, told PTI.

Javed Shamim, a senior police official in the state, told reporters that the event’s “chief organiser” had been arrested, without giving any further details.

“There is total normalcy,” he said, adding that authorities would look into how organisers could refund money to those who bought tickets.

State chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “disturbed” and “shocked” at the mismanagement.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said in a post on X, adding that she had ordered a probe into the incident.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) said it was not involved in the “organisation, planning, or execution” of the “private event”.

“Furthermore, the details of the event were neither communicated to the AIFF, nor was any clearance sought from the Federation,” a statement said.

Messi will now head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi as part of the four-city tour.

His time in India also includes a possible meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Messi won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award this week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain attacker will spearhead Argentina’s defence of the World Cup in June-July in North America.

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