Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq faced a tough personal moment during the PSL 11 player auction when his son, Faham-ul-Haq, went unsold while he was part of the Peshawar Zalmi selection panel.
Faham-ul-Haq, a left-handed batting all-rounder in his early 20s, entered the auction with a base price of Rs. 60 lakh. Although he has featured in Pakistan’s domestic circuit and delivered solid performances, including half-centuries in the President’s Trophy Grade-II and appearances in first-class cricket, no franchise placed a bid for him.
After the auction, Misbah admitted the situation was emotionally challenging.
“This is one of those moments where you have to pause and remain quiet,” he said. “If someone is talented and performing, whichever team it is will notice. When his time comes, he will play. For a parent, it is extremely difficult to sit there and watch everything happen. At that stage, you try to stay neutral and not let emotions influence decisions.”
He stressed that team selections must be based strictly on merit and made it clear that he did not attempt to influence proceedings in his son’s favor to avoid any perception of bias.
“I believe that when you perform, your opportunity comes,” he added. “You earn your place through performances, and that is when it truly feels meaningful.”
Faham’s cricketing journey has previously attracted attention. In April 2025, his participation in the President’s Trophy Grade-II tournament sparked debate over eligibility rules related to players switching between first-class and Grade-II competitions in the same season. At different stages of his career, critics had also questioned whether his progress was influenced by his father’s standing in domestic cricket.
During the PSL 11 auction held on February 11 in Lahore, Misbah’s decision not to bid for his son became a talking point on social media. Many praised the move as a sign of professionalism and a commitment to merit, while others debated whether Faham’s current form was strong enough to warrant a PSL contract.
The 2026 season marked the league’s first-ever player auction format following its expansion to eight teams, including the newly introduced franchises Hyderabad, Houston Kingsmen, and Sialkot Stallionz.
