Peshawar Zalmi announced the squad for the PSL 2027 as defending champions, with Babar Azam once again leading the “Yellow Storm.” After ending a nine-year wait for their second title in 2026, the franchise has focused on maintaining a solid local core while bringing international firepower into their middle order. The 2026 title run was built on a dominant bowling attack led by Sufyan Moqim, who finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets.
Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 2027 (Expected)
Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Sufiyan Muqeem, Aamir Jamal, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, and Khurram Shahzad.
Peshawar Zalmi PSL 2027 Auction
Peshawar Zalmi began the 2026 auction with a significant purse of PKR 27.96 crore after retaining only four core players. Their biggest splashes in the auction room were for foreign all-rounders Michael Bracewell and Kusal Mendis, both secured for PKR 4.2 crore each. They also made a late strategic move to sign Shahnawaz Dahani as a direct signing after the auction concluded to enhance their pace department.
Since players signed at the 2026 auction were handed two-year contracts covering both the 11th and 12th editions, the core of that championship-winning squad carries over into PSL 12. Franchises are permitted to retain up to seven players for the upcoming season.
| Player Name (Origin) | Category / Type & Price (PKR) |
| Babar Azam (Local) | Platinum – Retention (PKR 7.00 Crore) |
| Saim Ayub (Local) | Platinum – Retention (PKR 6.30 Crore) |
| Sufiyan Muqeem (Local) | Diamond – Retention (PKR 4.48 Crore) |
| Abdul Samad (Local) | Gold – Retention (PKR 2.80 Crore) |
| Ali Raza (Local) | Emerging – Retention (PKR 1.96 Crore) |
| Aaron Hardie (Foreign) | Platinum – Direct Signing (PKR 6.30 Crore) |
| Michael Bracewell (Foreign) | Auction – All-rounder (PKR 4.20 Crore) |
| Kusal Mendis (Foreign) | Auction – Wicket-keeper (PKR 4.20 Crore) |
| James Vince (Foreign) | Auction – Batter (PKR 3.00 Crore) |
| Khurram Shahzad (Local) | Auction – Bowler (PKR 2.70 Crore) |
| Mohammad Haris (Local) | Auction – Wicket-keeper (PKR 2.20 Crore) |
| Aamir Jamal (Local) | Auction – All-rounder (PKR 1.90 Crore) |
| Iftikhar Ahmed (Local) | Auction – Batter (PKR 1.80 Crore) |
| Abdul Subhan (Local) | Silver – Auction (PKR 62.5 Lacs) |
| Khalid Usman (Local) | Silver – Auction (PKR 60 Lacs) |
| Nahid Rana (Foreign) | Silver – Auction (PKR 60 Lacs) |
| Mirza Tahir Baig (Local) | Silver – Auction (PKR 60 Lacs) |
| Kashif Ali (Local) | Silver – Auction (PKR 60 Lacs) |
| Shahnawaz Dahani (Local) | Diamond – Direct Signing (PKR 4.50 Crore) |
A major storyline heading into the 2027 season is the status of Saim Ayub. Ayub was released by Zalmi ahead of the PSL 11 auction because both he and Babar Azam fell in the Platinum category, and league regulations allow each franchise to retain only one player per category. Saim Ayub went on to have a sensational 2026 season, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 524 runs at a strike rate of 156, including two centuries and four fifties.
With players signed at the 2026 auction receiving two-year contracts, whether Ayub returns to the Zalmi fold for 2027 remains one of the biggest questions of the offseason. He is reportedly in contention to open alongside Babar Azam if the franchise can bring him back.
Here’s a detailed overview about the Peshawar Zalmi all seasons squad and players list:
About Peshawar Zalmi Team
Peshawar Zalmi represent the iconic city of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with Arbab Niaz Stadium as the home ground, along with Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium if Peshawar does not host any matches.
Peshawar Zalmi’s greatest success came in 2017, with Darren Sammy, when they won their first PSL championship by beating the Quetta Gladiators by 58 runs in the final. Zalmi also reached the PSL finals in 2018 and 2021, demonstrating the team’s ability to perform consistently at a high level.
After a nine-year wait, the franchise finally lifted the trophy again in 2026 under Babar Azam’s captaincy, defeating debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets in the final at Gaddafi Stadium. They enter PSL 12 as defending champions and will be looking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the league expanded to eight teams.
See More: Karachi Kings Squad
The franchise began in the PSL’s first season in 2016. It was initially awarded to Peshawar by the PCB for US$16 million over 10 years, secured by Javed Afridi, the CEO of Haier Pakistan. In November 2025, Javed Afridi signed a new agreement that lasted an additional 10 years (2026–2035), with the franchise’s market valuation assessed at approximately PKR 870 million (around USD 3.1 million) and an annual fee of around PKR 500 million. Zalmi remain the most-watched PSL team, with strong fan engagement and commercial impact across Pakistan.