PSL Mulls Six-a-Side Off-Season Tournament Called HBL PSL Sixes

The Pakistan Super League could soon have a fast, furious little brother. The league is considering adding a six-a-side tournament in the off-season — a project its chief executive is calling the HBL PSL Sixes. The idea, still a concept rather than a confirmed event, was revealed by PSL chief executive Salman Naseer in a PSL podcast episode, as reported by Cricinfo on 22 October 2026.

Speaking on the podcast, Naseer — also an adviser to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi — stressed that no decision has been taken. In his own words: “Nothing is finalised but there are some exciting plans, and one of them is a sixes tournament, called the HBL PSL Sixes, which will be in the off-season.” The name may be chosen, but the tournament itself remains a proposal on the table.

The disclosure comes in the lead-up to a meeting of the PSL governing council, following the council’s previous gathering in London in September 2026. There, the PCB floated adding an extra event within the league’s current rights agreement — handing the franchises and the media-rights partner another revenue stream outside the main season.

What We Know About the HBL PSL Sixes Plan

Let us be precise about the facts. This is a plan under discussion, not a launch announcement. Naseer’s own phrasing is the anchor everything hangs on. What has been outlined so far is a six-a-side event, played in the Pakistan Super League off-season, carrying HBL’s branding, and loosely modelled on the Hong Kong Sixes format, where small squads and condensed matches produce pure entertainment.

The timing matters. The main event, HBL PSL 12, is scheduled for 18 March to 2 May 2027, with eight teams set to take part: Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz. A sixes competition would sit entirely apart from that main season, filling a gap in the calendar when the franchises would otherwise be idle.

Why a PSL Six-a-Side Tournament Makes Business Sense

A PSL six-a-side tournament is arguably the perfect product for that purpose: matches measured in minutes rather than hours, squads of star power-hitters, and a format built for highlights packages.

The PCB’s pitch is reportedly straightforward: staging the event inside the league’s existing rights agreement gives the franchises and the media-rights partner another revenue stream without the cost of building a new property. Team brands stay visible in the off-season, and fans get PSL-flavoured cricket when the calendar would otherwise be quiet.

How the Hong Kong Sixes Format Could Fit Pakistan

If the Hong Kong Sixes format in Pakistan becomes the template, expect chaos — the joyful kind. The original event fields six players a side with each innings capped at five overs; every player except the wicketkeeper bowls an over, and matches are done in under an hour. We have a full breakdown in our Hong Kong Sixes 2026: Pakistan squad and format guide.

Pakistan suits this format beautifully: aggressive batting, power-hitters, crafty bowling variations — all in the national cricketing DNA, backed by a rich history of triumphs at the Hong Kong event. A home-grown sixes tournament would be playing to the crowd.

Salman Naseer PSL: What Happens Next

The proposal now heads back to the governing council, the franchises and the PCB — and it would need genuine buy-in from team owners before moving forward. Until then, fans should treat everything beyond Naseer’s podcast remarks as speculation — no venues, dates, team lists or player rosters have been announced, and none should be invented.

The main league carries on regardless. Fresh from Peshawar Zalmi’s PSL 11 title — sealed by beating the Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final — all eight franchises reconvene for the 2027 season from 18 March to 2 May. Read our PSL 2026 review: Peshawar Zalmi win the title for the full story.

HBL PSL Sixes: Questions Fans Are Asking

Is the sixes tournament confirmed?
No. It is under consideration. Salman Naseer himself said “nothing is finalised” — this is an exciting plan being discussed, not a tournament that has been launched.

When would it be played?
In the off-season, according to Naseer. No specific dates have been announced.

Which teams and players would take part?
No team lists, venues or player rosters have been announced — be wary of any “confirmed squads” circulating on social media.

How is it different from the regular PSL?
The regular PSL is a full T20 league played in the March–May window. The proposed sixes event would be a separate, shorter spectacle: six players a side, condensed overs, and matches built for pure entertainment.

Sources: Cricinfo and Crictracker, both of which reported Salman Naseer’s podcast remarks on 22 October 2026.