Karachi to host five matches, Lahore three in PSL 4

LAHORE: Karachi and Lahore will play host to eight Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in the fourth season as the countdown to the glitzy Twenty20 league began on Friday with the announcement it’s the schedule.

Five matches will be played at Karachi’s National Stadium, including the March 17 final, while Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will play host to three matches as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to increase the number of matches in the country with every edition. Lahore hosted the final in the second edition of the league before hosting two matches last season when Karachi hosted the final.

The fourth edition begins in Dubai on Feb 14 when defending champions Islamabad United take on Lahore Qalandars.

“Karachi’s National Stadium will host the first of their five matches on March 7 when Karachi Kings face Peshawar Zalmi under lights. The other four matches will be Karachi Kings versus Quetta Gladiators on March 10, the qualifier on March 13, the second eliminator on March 15 and the final on March 17,” a PCB press release stated on Friday.

“The iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be the venue of three matches — Lahore Qalandars versus Islamabad United on March 9, Lahore Qalandars versus the Sixth team on March 10 and the first eliminator on March 12. All the three matches will be played under floodlights.

“The PCB believes the PSL is a gateway to resumption of international cricket in Pakistan. By successfully staging eight matches in Lahore and Karachi with the support of the local authorities, the PCB is optimistic that it will once again prove to the world that Pakistan is as safe and secure a place as any other part of the world to play international cricket.

“In addition to the Gaddafi Stadium and National Stadium, 14 matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, four at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and eight at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.”

Launched by previous PCB chief Najam Sethi, the PSL has become a resounding success and will this year see the addition of more star power with South African big-hitter A.B. de Villiers and Australia’s Steve Smith joining the league.

“The PSL is one of the most entertaining but difficult tournaments in which each match counts,” Islamabad United mentor Waqar Younis said. “You have to turn up at the top of your game every time you step onto the field so that you stay clear of the danger zone. I have no doubts that the 2019 event will be a great spectacle and I urge all the spectators and fans to play their part in making this a successful event.”

Lahore Qalandars’ newly-appointed captain Mohammad Hafeez said: “The PSL is no doubt one of the top franchise tournaments in the world and I look forward to captaining Lahore Qalandars to playing quality cricket in front of Pakistani fans both in UAE and Pakistan. Having played in the last three events, I have no apprehension that this will be an event to watch out for. We have an excellent and balanced team, which includes de Villiers amongst other top players. I am sure the boys will benefit from his rich experience, and he will have a great time with us.”

Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim said: “Eight PSL matches taking place in Lahore and Karachi is great news for the Pakistan cricket fans and I look forward to captaining Karachi Kings at the historic National Stadium. We will have to be at our best in each match to ensure that we also feature in front of our home crowd on March, 17.”

Shoaib Malik, who will captain the still to be named sixth team, said: “We have a very balanced side, which is capable of going all the way in the HBL PSL. This tournament is not only designed to provide entertainment to the fans, but is also a vehicle for the local players to learn and getter better by featuring in high pressure matches and through the presence of international stars. We also look forward to welcoming Steve Smith and Shahid Afridi, two absolute legends of the game, to the side and hope they will play their lead roles in helping us cross the line.”

Current Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, who captained Quetta Gladiators to two finals, said: “We are a team which has always received overwhelming support from the entire Pakistan, particularly Quetta. This has been one of the cornerstones of our strong performances in the past events and hopefully we will be able to do one better in 2019 by lifting the silverware in front of the National Stadium crowd.”

Daren Sammy, who led Peshawar Zalmi to the title in 2017, said: “The HBL PSL is one of my favourite tournaments and I not only look forward to playing in it in a few weeks’ time, but also look forward to once again featuring in the final.”

Schedule:

Feb 14: Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars (Dubai).

Feb 15: Karachi Kings vs Sixth Team (Dubai); Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators (Dubai).

Feb 16: Islamabad United vs Sixth Team (Dubai); Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings (Dubai).

Feb 17: Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators (Dubai); Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars (Dubai).

Feb 18: Rest Day.

Feb 19: Rest Day.

Feb 20: Quetta Gladiators vs Sixth Team (Sharjah).

Feb 21: Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings (Sharjah).

Feb 22: Lahore Qalandars vs Sixth Team (Sharjah); Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi (Sharjah).

Feb 23: Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars (Sharjah); Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings (Sharjah).

Feb 24: Peshawar Zalmi vs Sixth Team