The 11th season of Pakistan Super League (PSL) begins on Thursday (today) at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore where reigning champions Lahore Qalandars will take on newcomers Hyderabad Kingsmen in the opening match.
This season of PSL is expanded to eight teams and is played in Lahore and Karachi.
For the first time, the PSL has eight franchises, with Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz joining the competition, while Multan Sultans are under new management which was initially declared as Sialkot Stallionz. The news reported.
The opening match is between the old and the new.
The Qalandars, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, come into the PSL-11 with momentum, having won three of the last four titles. Their pace attack, with Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mustafizur Rahman, remains their biggest strength. With Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman anchoring the batting, and Sikandar Reza providing all-round brilliance, they look well equipped to defend their crown.
The Kingsmen, owned by American-Pakistani businessman Fawad Sarwar, make their debut with a star-studded lineup. Captain Marnus Labuschagne is joined by Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Kusal Perera and record signer Saim Ayub. Their batting unit is formidable but their pace attack appears weak after the retirement of Ottneil Baartman, leaving Meredith as the only overseas specialist fast bowler.
The defending champions will depend on their captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, their inspirational leader and strike bowler, and Sikandar Raza, an all-rounder who comes with the ability to win matches. Kingsmen would look to Saim Ayub, who has a record signing, to bolster the team’s lineup with his explosive young talent and Glenn Maxwell has an X factor with brilliance in bat, ball and fielding.
The draw will be crucial as the chase has historically been the favorite at the Gaddafi Stadium. The pitch is expected to be batting friendly, with early assistance for the pacers and some innings for the spinners later in the game. The weather conditions are clear, with temperatures between 20°C and 28°C, which guarantees ideal playing conditions.
This historic season carries a sobering reality, as games will be played in empty stadiums.
For the unversed, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revised its logistical plans and limited all matches to Karachi and Lahore behind closed doors under the government’s austerity measures.
This marks a departure from the original calendar, which included places like Multan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the decision was taken after consultations with franchise owners and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Lahore will host Qualifiers 1 and 2 as well as the final, while Karachi will host the Qualifiers. The opening match between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Lahore Qalandars remains unchanged.
Since the matches will be played without spectators, the organizers have promised enhanced broadcast and production features to enhance the viewing experience of fans in Pakistan and around the world.
Squads
Qalandars of Lahore: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Naeem, Mustafizur Rahman, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Fakhar Zaman, Ubaid Shah, Haseebullah, Mohammad Farooq, Daniel Sams, Parvez Hussain Emon, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Tayyab Tahir, Dunith Wellalage, Rubin Hermann, Maaz Khan, Ryan Burl and Shahab Khan.
Kings of Hyderabad: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Hassan Khan (vc), Usman Khan, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Glenn Maxwell, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Hunain Shah, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Ali, Tayyab Arif, Maheesh Theekshana and Ahmed Hussain.
