PSL 10 to commence from April 11 as PCB unveils schedule – Sport

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced the schedule for the HBL Pakistan Super League X, set to commence from April 11, with defending champions Islamabad United taking on two times champions Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The six-team tournament will see 34 matches played from April 11 to May 18.

Lahore’s newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium is set to host 13 matches, including two eliminators and the final.

The upcoming edition will feature an exhibition match played in Peshawar on April 8. The teams of the match will be confirmed in due course.

The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, including the qualifier on May 13.

Karachi’s National Bank Stadium and Multan Cricket Stadium will host five matches each. The marquee event will also feature three double-headers, with two matches on weekends (Saturday) and one on a national holiday (Labour Day).

Karachi Kings — winners of the league’s fifth edition, will begin their campaign on April 12 on home turf against Multan Sultans, who were runners up of the last edition.

Multan Sultans will face Lahore Qalandars on April 22 — the first PSL X match hosted by Multan Cricket Stadium.

Gaddafi Stadium will welcome the the tournament’s first match on April 24 with home side Qalandars, winners of the seventh and eighth editions, taking on Peshawar Zalmi.

Peshawar Zalmi will play five matches at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while winners of the fourth edition, Quetta Gladiators will play five matches at Gaddafi Stadium.

PSL CEO Salman Naseer said: “We are thrilled to officially announce the schedule for the historic 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League. Over the past decade, the HBL PSL has grown into a globally recognised tournament, showcasing the best of Pakistan’s cricketing talent.

“The fans in this year’s tournament will not only see high-profile international cricketers but will also witness 34 high-octane matches across four major cities — Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi.

“As part of our commitment to expanding the reach of the HBL PSL, we are delighted to host an exhibition match in Peshawar before the start of the tournament, which is a significant step in bringing top-tier cricket to Peshawar, a city with a deep-rooted love for the game.

“We remain dedicated to enhancing the experience for players, fans, and stakeholders, who have witnessed some breathtaking contests in the league over the years.”

All six franchises completed their respective squads at a players’ draft ceremony held in Lahore on January 13.

New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell became the first pick of the coming season when two-time winners Lahore Qalandars picked him to strengthen their batting order. Mitchell will make his PSL debut this year.

PCB announced on January 19 that it will pay an additional sum of $100,000 to six high-profile foreign players in the franchise for making themselves available for the tournament.

During the PSL draft, the PCB had set a maximum base price salary of $200,000 to franchises for each overseas player.

A number of overseas players who went unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction were signed on by franchises during the player draft. They include David Warner, Mitchell, Kane Williamson, Finn Allen, Matthew Short, Sean Abbot, Nahid Rana, Liton Das, Micheal Bracewell, Russie van der Dussen and Corbin Bosch, among others.

This is the first time that PSL is being held in the same window as the IPL, with both leagues clashing in their latter stages. The IPL runs from March 21 till the end of May.

Previously, the highest paid players in PSL were Kieron Pollard ($250,000) and AB de Villiers ($230,000).