MULTAN: Into its eighth season, the HBL Pakistan Super League is set to operate at its maximum potential.
For the first time since its inaugural edition in 2016, the country’s flagship franchise T20 tournament will be held across four home venues. The last time it was meant to be so was in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic brought the season to a halt before it was completed later that year behind closed doors.
The previous edition of the PSL was also held in Pakistan in its entirety but all matches were conducted across Karachi and Lahore only. This year, in addition to the two metropolises, Multan and Rawalpindi will also be in the fray, which would mean four of the six sides in Multan Sultans, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Islamabad United will enjoy home advantage. Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators, on the other hand, will have to do without the backing of home supporters.
The opening fixture — which is to be followed by a “first of its kind” opening ceremony, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board — will be a box office clash between hosts Multan Sultans and defending champions Lahore Qalandars at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Led by Pakistan’s star wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, Multan boast a batting-heavy core of players featuring Australia’s Tim David, South African Rilee Rossouw, his compatriot David Miller and West Indies veteran Kieran Pollard.
Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Qalandars in contrast have probably the best bowling line-up in the tournament, studded with the likes of death bowling specialist Haris Rauf, emerging pacer Zaman Khan and Shaheen himself. The fixture hence promises a promising battle between bat and ball with the wickets to be more conducive for the former.
“Shaheen is a world class bowler and ranks amongst the best in the world,” Rizwan said in the pre-match press conference on Sunday. “When he attacks with the new ball he is almost unplayable.
