The player auction list for the Tata IPL 2026 season has been finalised. A total of 350 players are going under the hammer at the upcoming auction scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Firstly, 1390 players registered for the player auction, of which 350 players were shortlisted. These players will add significant depth and new talent to this year’s auction list.
However, since the release of this list, a strange debate has started among cricket fans between India and Pakistan. Because some important players have been missing from this player auction list. There were a few big players who did not register themselves for the IPL 2026 auction.
There could be several reasons for players not registering themselves for IPL 2026 action. However, the biggest reason that is emerging is that both the IPL and PSL are being played during the same time period. The IPL 2026 is expected to be played from March 22 to May 26. The PSL 2026 could be played from April 11 to May 25. So, some players have preferred to opt for the PSL instead of registering their names in the IPL auction. All this has been described as a big win by the Pakistani media.
But today, keeping all these facts in mind, we would like to know what the major reasons are. Due to which players are going to the PSL instead of the IPL. And how much truth is there in the claims made by Pakistani fans?
Why do foreign players have to choose one league?
The first question that arises is why foreign players have to choose between IPL and PSL. The biggest reason for this seems to be that both leagues are played in the same time period. Resulting players can only participate in any one league.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) usually runs from March to the end of May every year. The ICC has set a specific, formal timeframe for the IPL in its Future Tours Programme. Ensuring that there is minimal clash with international cricket matches during this period. The biggest advantage of this to the IPL is that it has access to most of the players across the world, without any clash between the league and international matches.
Talking about the Pakistan Super League (PSL), its traditional broadcast time was usually in February and March. But last year the tournament was held from April 11 to May 25, 2025. This change was necessary because Pakistan hosted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 during its usual PSL window. This resulted in a clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the first time.
But this clash had both advantages and disadvantages for the PSL. As a result, big players like David Warner and Kane Williamson, who were not bought by any franchise in the IPL, got a chance in the PSL. Moreover, David Warner even captained the PSL franchise Karachi Kings.
However, the PSL also faced some negative consequences. When South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who was selected by Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2025, turned down his PSL contract after being offered to play in the IPL by the Mumbai Indians.
Afterwhich, Mitchell Owen, Kyle Jamieson, Kusal Mendis and other players also do the same. They preferred to play in the Indian league as soon as they got IPL contracts during the PSL. While some players were replacing injured players in the IPL. Kusal Mendis left the PSL due to safety concerns and was later replaced Jos Buttler in the playoffs for the Gujarat Titans.
From 2026 onwards, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and franchises want to take advantage of the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme. There is almost no international cricket at this time, which also gives them the opportunity to field more foreign players in the league.
That is why the PCB and PSL franchise owners have agreed to permanently shift the PSL’s normal match duration to April-May. Moreover, the clash between these two leagues may be seen again and again in the future.
What does the League War really tell us?
From now on, foreign players will only have the opportunity to play in one league. Therefore, the PSL is an attractive platform for foreign stars who have limited opportunities to play in the IPL due to their high age factor and poor form. Players like Warner, Maxwell, Williamson, Du Plessis and Moeen Ali are also getting older or are not in good form. So they are using PSL to maintain their relevance in T20 cricket, captain teams, and earn handsomely even after the IPL.
But there is another point that for emerging players, PSL is still a launchpad, not a destination. Players like Bosch, Owen, Jamieson, Mendis and others have used it as a platform that helped them secure or improve IPL contracts as soon as they got the chance.
Moreover, we have seen examples of this in the past as well. Players like Harry Brook, Tim David, Jofra Archer were not known in international cricket in their initial days. But they performed brilliantly in the PSL. They used the PSL as a launching pad to perform on cricket’s biggest stage, like the IPL. After which, they came into the notice of the IPL franchise and from there they got a chance to play in the IPL.
So we can say that the PSL is becoming a premium retirement-plus opportunity. For those ageing IPL veterans who still command the attention of the audience but no longer suit the Indian cricket league. When it comes to a straightforward choice, the IPL remains the top choice for young or peak-bound foreign professional players.