Defending champions Lahore Qalandars to meet Multan Sultans in the opening match
Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars will have an opportunity to make history when they will take on Multan Sultans in the opening match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday, 13 February.
Lahore Qalandars had defeated defending champions Multan Sultans at the Gaddafi Stadium by 42 runs in 2022, and will now have an additional incentive going into the eighth edition of the tournament, with the chance of becoming the first franchise to win back to back titles. Prior to Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi were in the similar situation when they reached the 2018 final as defending champions but faltered at the last hurdle and lost to Islamabad United, who clinched their second title in three years.
Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi will share between them the 34-match tournament, and the event schedule has been designed in such a way that the four home sides will each play five matches in front of their fans and supporters – one against each side.
This means Qalandars will play five matches at the Gaddafi Stadium, while their other five matches will be in Multan (one) and, Karachi and Rawalpindi (two each). Similarly, Sultans’ five away matches will be in Rawalpindi (three) and, Karachi and Lahore (one each); Kings’ away matches will be in Rawalpindi (three) and, one each in Lahore and Multan; and United’s five away matches will be in Karachi (three) and, one each in Lahore and Multan.
Quetta Gladiators will play their 10 league matches in Karachi, Rawalpindi (four each), Lahore and Multan (one each), while Peshawar Zalmi’s fixtures will be in Rawalpindi (five), Karachi (three), and one each in Lahore and Multan.
Chair of PCB Management Committee, Najam Sethi: “I am delighted to formally confirm the schedule of the HBL PSL 8, which will allow the Pakistan Cricket Board and the six franchises to start firming up and finalising their respective event plans and objectives.
“There will be no question on the quality of cricket that will be played in over 34 days of action-packed cricket. I am hoping the HBL PSL will once again live up to its expectations of unearthing and identifying future stars who will not only challenge the established household names in this edition but will go on to represent Pakistan.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to HBL, who have supported this tournament since its inception in 2016 by retaining the title sponsorship rights. I would also like to thank all our other valued commercial partners, broadcasters and franchise owners for their patronage, and hope they will continue to show faith in our pinnacle event and the PCB’s administrative vision, skills and capabilities so that we can collectively work together to enhance the image and profile of Pakistan cricket.
Schedule:
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
Squads:
Islamabad United:
Alex Hales (England), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan), Shadab Khan (all Platinum), Asif Ali, Fazal Haq Farooqi (Afghanistan), Wasim Jr (all Diamond), Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali (all Gold), Abrar Ahmed, Colin Munro (New Zealand), Paul Stirling (Ireland), Rumman Raees, Sohaib Maqsood (all Silver), Hassan Nawaz, Zeeshan Zamir (both Emerging). Moeen Ali (England) and Mubasir Khan (Supplementary)
Karachi Kings:
Haider Ali, Imran Tahir (South Africa), Matthew Wade (Australia) (all Platinum), Imad Wasim, James Fuller (New Zealand), James Vince (both England) (all Diamond), Andrew Tye (Australia), Mohammad Amir, Shoaib Malik (all Gold), Aamer Yamin, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Akhlaq, Sharjeel Khan, Tayyab Tahir (all Silver), Irfan Khan Niazi, Qasim Akram (both Emerging). Mohammad Umar and Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa) (Supplementary)
Lahore Qalandars:
Fakhar Zaman, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Shaheen Shah Afridi (all Platinum), Dawid Wiese (Namibia), Hussain Talat, Haris Rauf (all Diamond), Abdullah Shafique, Liam Dawson (England), Sikander Raza (Zimbabwe) (all Gold), Ahmad Daniyal, Dilbar Hussain, Harry Brook (England), Kamran Ghulam, Mirza Tahir Baig (all Silver), Shawaiz Irfan, Zaman Khan (both Emerging). Jalat Khan and Jordan Cox (England) (both Supplementary)
Multan Sultans:
David Miller (South Africa), Josh Little (Ireland), Mohammad Rizwan (all Platinum), Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw (South Africa), Shan Masood (all Diamond), Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Shahnawaz Dahani, Tim David (Australia) (all Gold), Anwar Ali, Sameen Gul, Sarwar Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan (both Silver), Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah (both Emerging). Adil Rashid (England) and Arafat Minhas (Supplementary).
Peshawar Zalmi:
Babar Azam, Rovman Powell (West Indies), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), (all Platinum), Mujeeb Ur Rehman (Afghanistan), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Wahab Riaz (all Diamond), Arshad Iqbal, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Haris (all Gold), Aamer Jamal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (England), Saim Ayub, Salman Irshad, Usman Qadir (all Silver), Haseebullah Khan, Sufyan Muqeem (both Emerging). Jimmy Neesham (New Zealand) (Supplementary). Peshawar Zalmi will pick their second Supplementary at the Replacement Draft.
Quetta Gladiators:
Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) (all Platinum), Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy (England), Odean Smith (West Indies) (all Diamond), Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed (all Gold), Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan), Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed (England) (all Silver), Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (both Emerging). Martin Guptill (New Zealand) and Omair Bin Yousuf (Supplementary).
