PSL returns with thrilling Lahore vs Multan opener 

Multan: The wait is finally over as the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) is all set to commence with a grand opening ceremony and a highly anticipated clash between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans. 

The 8th edition of PSL, one of the biggest national-level cricket festival, begins Monday (today) with the defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans competing in the opening match.

The last season's finalists, Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, will be determined to secure a win in the season opener, as all the players have been preparing for this moment for months, honing their skills and refining their strategies. 

Both teams are motivated and eager to perform at their best, knowing that a strong start to the season could set the tone for the rest of the tournament.  

The 34-match tournament will be held across four home venues. Grounds have been decorated in four cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi; and a total of six teams will compete for the trophy. 

All six teams are star-studded, but only four top sides that will perform brilliantly in league stages will qualify for playoff stages.

According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the opening fixture will be followed by a ‘first of its kind’ opening ceremony. 

The gates of Multan Stadium will be opened at 2:00 pm and the colorful ceremony will begin at 6:00 pm while the match will start at 8:00 pm.

Despite the significant turnover in squads every year, most sides have managed to retain an identity running through their history. 

Squads

Lahore Qalandars 

Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, David Wiese, Shai Hope, Sikandar Raza, Liam Dawson, Dilbar Hussain, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Zaman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat, Mirza Tahir Baig, Ahmed Danlyal, Shawaiz Irfan, Jordan Cox, Jalat Khan, Ahsan Bhatti, Shane Dadswell, Sam Billings (Partial replacement for Rashid Khan).

Multan Sultan 

Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Josh Little, Akeal Hosein, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Sarwar, Adil Rashid, Arafat Minhas, Kieron Pollard, Shan Masood, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tim David, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah,  Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Sameen Gul, Ammad Butt, Wayne Parnell (Partial replacement for Adil Rashid), Izharulhaq Naveed (Partial replacement for David Miller).

Quetta Gladiators 

Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal, Will Smeed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Martin Guptill, Ahsan Ali, Umaid Asif, Muhammad Zahid, Abdul Bangalzai, Aimal Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qais Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Naseem Shah, Odean Smith,  Dwaine Pretorius (Partial replacement for Odean Smith), Will Jacks (Partial replacement for Jason Roy), Nuwan Thushara (Partial replacement for Naveen ul Haq).

Karachi Kings 

Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Malik, Andrew Tye, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mohammad Umar, Ben Cutting, Musa Khan, Sharjeel Khan, Qasim Akram, Matthew Wade, Imran Tahir, James Vince, Aamir Yamin, Mir Hamza,  James Fuller, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Adam Rossington (Partial replacement for James Vince), Faisal Akram (Partial replacement for Tabraiz Shamsi).

Islamabad United 

Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Moeen Ali, Mubasir Khan, Tom Curran, Zafar Gohar, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Colin Munro, Paul Stirling, Alex Hales, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Moeen Ali, Mubasir Khan, Tom Curran, Zafar Gohar, Abrar Ahmed, Sohaib Maqsood, Rumman Raees, Zeeshan Zamir, Hassan Nawaz, Gus Atkinson (Partial replacement for Rahmanullah Gurbaz), Tymal Mills (Partial replacement for Alex Hales), Rassie van der Dussen (Partial replacement for Moeen Ali).

Peshawar Zalmi 

Babar Azam, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Haris, Aamir Jamal, Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Rovman Powell, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Danish Aziz, Arshad Iqbal, Saim Ayub, Usman Qadir, Salman Irshad,Suifyan Muqeem, Haseeb Ullah, Jimmy Neesham, Khurram Shahzad, Haris Sohail, Richard Gleeson (Partial replacement for Rovman Powell), Peter Hatzoglou (Partial replacement for Mujeeb ur Rahman).

Fixtures

13 Feb - Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Multan Cricket Stadium

14 Feb - Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Cricket Arena

15 Feb - Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium

16 Feb - Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena

17 Feb - Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket Stadium

18 Feb - Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Cricket Arena

19 Feb - Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Multan Cricket Stadium; Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Cricket Arena

20 Feb - Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Cricket Arena

21 Feb - Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Cricket Arena

22 Feb - Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium

23 Feb - Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena

24 Feb - Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, National Bank Cricket Arena

26 Feb - Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, National Bank Cricket Arena; Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium

27 Feb - Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium

1 Mar - Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium

2 Mar - Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium

3 Mar - Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium

4 Mar - Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium

5 Mar - Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium

6 Mar - Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium

7 Mar - Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium

8 Mar – Pakistan Women’s League Exhibition Match 1, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium

9 Mar - Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium

10 Mar - Pakistan Women’s League Exhibition Match 2, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium

11 Mar - Pakistan Women’s League Exhibition Match 3, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium

12 Mar - Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium

15 Mar - Qualifier (1 v 2), Gaddafi Stadium

16 Mar - Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), Gaddafi Stadium

17 Mar - Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1), Gaddafi Stadium

19 Mar – Final, Gaddafi Stadium