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Pakistan Super League 2020 - Discussion Thread

Some of the most prominent names to be released are:



Alex Hales, Ian Bell, Mohammad Sami, Sahibzada Farhan (all Islamabad United), Colin Ingram, Mohammad Rizwan, Ravi Bopara (all Karachi Kings), Brendan Taylor, Carlos Brathwaite, Haris Sohail, Sandeep Lamichhane, Yasir Shah (all Lahore Qalandars), Dan Christian, Hammad Azam, Joe Denly, Nicholas Pooran, Shoaib Malik (all Multan Sultans), Andre Fletcher, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Lendl Simmons, Tymal Mills (all Peshawar Zalmi) and Anwar Ali, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Rilee Rossouw and Sohail Tanvir (all Quetta Gladiators).

Tymal mills, bravo, malik, hales, lamichane, jordan, malan are top players. Lahore need to look at them
 
ataullah said:
Some of the most prominent names to be released are:



Alex Hales, Ian Bell, Mohammad Sami, Sahibzada Farhan (all Islamabad United), Colin Ingram, Mohammad Rizwan, Ravi Bopara (all Karachi Kings), Brendan Taylor, Carlos Brathwaite, Haris Sohail, Sandeep Lamichhane, Yasir Shah (all Lahore Qalandars), Dan Christian, Hammad Azam, Joe Denly, Nicholas Pooran, Shoaib Malik (all Multan Sultans), Andre Fletcher, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Lendl Simmons, Tymal Mills (all Peshawar Zalmi) and Anwar Ali, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Rilee Rossouw and Sohail Tanvir (all Quetta Gladiators).

Tymal mills, bravo, malik, hales, lamichane, jordan, malan are top players. Lahore need to look at them
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I really hope Alex Hales is picked, would love to see him smash it all over the park in Pakistan.
 
Nice to see some good players willing to travel to Pakistan - should make it more interesting.
 
Lohore Qalandars and Multan Sultans are my fav teams but both team retentions are so so so bad
 
Delport, Rumman and probably Zafar shouldn't have been let go of by IU.

Multan's list of retained and released players show why they are such and awful team.

Quetta released quite a few good players from their camp .Dwayne Bravo, Fawad Ahmed, Harry Gurney, Mohammad Asghar, Rilee Rossouw, Saud Shakil and Sohail Tanvir are pretty solid names to be released.
 
Andy Flower to be Multan Sultans' Head Coach for PSL 2020

An interesting appointment, will be interesting to see how they fare this season.
 
Great great news! This is the guy who rejuvenated English cricket. He knows how to win and develop players. Any chances to bring him on board for Pakistan national duty?
 
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Andy Flower at the PSL 5 Draft this evening
 
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Speaking at the PSL Draft:


"We also have a new batsman that not many people have heard about, Zeeshan Ashraf. It's really exciting, he's a guy in his mid-20s who hasn't been seen much and we believe he is a really talented left-hander"

"Yes, conditions will be different and a lot of these international cricketers won't have played in Pakistan, but the four venues are excellent venues. I haven't seen Multan Stadium but I hear it's state of the art and a great venue"

"It's brilliant for the country that cricket is coming back to Pakistan. Your fans have been starved of live cricket in the stadiums so it's a brilliant thing that it's happening"

"Its always great having him around; I have always enjoyed playing against Shahid and worked with him when I was with Zalmi in the first year at the PSL, I hear that he has been working hard at his game and he is going to be hopefully firing on all cylinders; His career will some stage come to an end and so it will be brilliant for the fans of Pakistan cricket to see him play at home again"
 
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He'll provide stability and is well-respected.

Some big egos in that squad that he'll need to manage.
 
"I have what I feel is a close association with Pakistan cricket" : Andy Flower

Andy Flower speaking on the PCB podcast:

I toured Pakistan in the 90s a number of times and I brought over that international XI to play 3 T20s in Lahore. My brother (Grant) has been closely involved with Pakistan cricket over the last 5 years.

I have what I feel is a close association with Pakistan cricket. I have some friends who I used to play against, some ex-Pakistani cricketers are my friends. Most obvious one being Mushtaq Ahmed who coached with me for 5 years with England.

Being part of something a bit bigger than just trying to win the odd game of cricket - Being part of bringing cricket back to Pakistan with that World XI and now the full PSL coming back to Pakistan, I think that's really exciting. I like being a part of something that means a little more than just winning games and this fulfils that objective.

We are very happy with the Multan Sultans squad. The fall of the draft went the way we predicted so some credit must go to Haider, the owners and Nathan Leamon who modelled the way the draft might fall. We're comfortable with the names we got in our squad. It was interesting to see the other teams that have done well, PZ, QG and IU who have had the most success in PSL. We want to change that, we want MS to start challenging those sides.

There's a full commitment from the international players to come out here to play the full PSL which is part of bringing cricket back to Pakistan which is important, it's important that those players take stories back around the world with them when PSL is finished about how they enjoyed the cricket, that it was excellent cricket which it undoubtedly will be, that they've enjoyed the experience of seeing Pakistan, interacting with Pakistani cricketers and people. By doing so, that's fulfilling a very important role for Pakistan cricket and Pakistan.

From the moment we started playing against Pakistan as Zimbabwean cricketers, the Pakistani cricketers were always very friendly and welcoming to us and that stands out for me. My short experience coming here for the draft, I've experienced wonderful hospitality from the owners and also from interaction with cricket lovers and anyone else involved, that friendliness and welcoming atmosphere is important for us.

The other thing is the passion for the game. When we played international cricket out here, it was exciting to be playing against some of the best players that have ever set foot on Pakistani grounds, that was a sensational experience. The passion for cricket around the country stands out, the vibrancy and the love and the smiles on people's faces and the feeling generated in a full stadium makes it an absolute pleasure to be here.
 
A tough, no nonsense taskmaster.

However man management and tactical conservatism are his biggest weaknesses.
 
Forward Defensive Push said:
Great great news! This is the guy who rejuvenated English cricket. He knows how to win and develop players. Any chances to bring him on board for Pakistan national duty?
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After the Psl at home provided Andy flower & Deano beat every single team and Misbah lose every single series for the national side and also for ISLU then Deano and Andy flower will be the front runners for the job.

I strongly believe that Misbah will not last for more than a year where he is now.
 
PCB appoints HBL PSL Project Executive

Mr Shoaib Naveed has been appointed as Project Executive, HBL PSL, and will assume charge from Monday, 30 December 2019.

Shoaib's last assignment was with Islamabad United, where he was the Chief Operating Officer. During his previous innings with the PCB between 2014 and 2016, Shoaib served as Head Project Manager – HBL PSL and Manager - Marketing and Sales.

He has a Masters in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University and has worked with the NFLPA and the Washington Wizards and Capitals in past roles.
 
anybody has an idea when is the schedule coming out for next PSL? Shouldn't it be out already
 
Media reports suggesting that PSL schedule will be announced on 1st January, 2020
 
Reports that PSL5 will be played from 20th February to 22 March in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan. Opening ceremony will be in Karachi and final will be played in Lahore.
 
This will be the game changer for Pakistan's cricket IA. Hopefully after successful PSL, international teams won't have security concerns for visiting Pakistan. Lahore vs Karachi at Lahore and Karachi vs Lahore at Karachi will be mouth watering.
 
Double headers will not be played on the same venue like IPL but on different venues so the pitches remain true. If a match is played at lahore in the afternoon then the next match on same day will be played at a different venue as per reports
 
#PSL5 🏏— For the very first time in PSL, two different venues of Pakistan will host matches scheduled on a single day. First match will start at 2pm while second at 7pm. Two different production companies will be working to cover matches in two different cities.
 
LAHORE: A majority of the franchises of the HBL-Pakistan Super League (PSL) are demanding financial relief, claiming that they are suffering big losses but are reluctant to submit their financial statements to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to prove the losses incurred, well-informed sources told Dawn.

It was learnt that while the PCB has been considering the demands of these franchises, the Board feels that it is not possible to evaluate the reality of the losses claimed by franchises without being privy to the financial statements of the franchises.

According to reliable sources, only Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United have provided their management accounts post 2017 PSL edition.

It must be mentioned here that in 2020, all the 34 matches of the PSL will be held in Pakistan instead of in UAE which will boost the chances for more profit from this upcoming edition.

In the first four editions, the PCB held majority of the matches in the UAE and only a few in Pakistan. But the PCB is hoping for a handsome profit in the 2020 edition since thousands of people are likely to fill the stadia in the cities where the PSL matches will be held.

Besides, the PCB will also be saving a lot of money as they will not have to spend millions of rupees in hiring the stadiums which was the case in the UAE and there will also be much less travel expenditure due to home matches. So overall, the franchises will also fare much better financially by playing all matches in Pakistan, the sources said.

Meanwhile, in order to meet the demands of the franchises, the PCB will have to make changes the original agreement signed with them for a period of 10 years. Whether the Board of Governors of the PCB will give go-ahead to the changes in the original contract to give benefit to the franchises remains to be seen. The matter could likely come up in the next meeting of the BoG scheduled to be held in Peshawar later this month.

Moreover, the franchises are demanding of the PCB not to ask for submission of the bank guarantee which was a key condition in the original agreements with the franchises. Dawn has learnt that the franchises have proposed to submit post-dated cheques as an alternative to bank guarantees and in case any of those cheques are dishonoured, they can submit bank guarantees for the next two years latest by April 1 of that year, when the PSL’s schedule of the matches will have been concluded.

It is also learnt that the PCB has already received some security through post-dated cheques instead of the bank guarantees, which if true is a violation of the original agreement.

Moreover, the franchises have also requested not to apply the foreign exchange rate for payments due under the franchise agreement which gives some relaxation due to unforeseeable currency depreciation. In principle, the PCB has agreed to set Rs.138.60 for one US Dollars as the minimum benchmark, which existed when the sixth franchise Multan Sultans was sold out.

However, despite the above-mentioned arguments put forward by the franchises, the PCB acknowledges that the franchises have played a positive role in bringing back all the matches of the PSL to Pakistan.

However, an opinion will be sought from an independent financial consultant. The PCB estimates a burden of Rs 5 to 6 million as a consultancy fee in this regard, from which it will bear 1/7th of the total cost. In the market, currently one USD is valued at Rs 155 plus.

The franchises have also demanded for in-stadia activation opportunities for their sponsors, which is a right that was not part of the original ITT on the basis of which the franchises were sold.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1527558/psl-franchises-ask-pcb-for-financial-relief-to-cover-losses
 
In a bid to avoid a repeat of 2017’s spot-fixing scandal in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to enforce several stringent anti-corruption measures in the upcoming edition of PSL. The spot-fixing scandal in the second season of PSL, led to at least six Pakistan players being suspended while two of them, Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, were immediately suspended and sent back home from Dubai. Later the anti-corruption tribunal of the PCB imposed a five-year ban on Sharjeel and Khalid.

Last season, the PCB and International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to join hands to ensure that the tournament is free from corruption Officials from the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) closely monitored the Players, Management and Officials (PMO) area free of cost, during the fourth edition of PSL, and directly reported to the international governing body. It was entirely ICC’s discretion if they wanted to share their report with the PCB. It must be noted that the PCB was keen on availing their services during the previous seasons as well, but due to rising expenditures, they decided against it. However, according to a PCB representative, the ICC anti-corruption officers were only present in the matches that took place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last season. Since this year all matches will take place in Pakistan, the PCB’s internal anti-corruption unit will be in charge of the event. However, the representative didn’t rule out the possibility of taking help from ICC anti-corruption unit if needed.

The PCB also appointed seven integrity officers last season, who had been assigned the task of closely following each franchise’s activity on and off the field. Each franchise had a separate officer except for Lahore Qalandars — who had two. This was due to the fact that the Qalandars’ decided to stay in a different hotel — as compared to other franchises, who all stayed in the same one. PCB representative made it clear that no decision has been taken yet regarding whether to appoint one or two integrity officers for each franchise this season. Also the owners of franchises were not allowed to enter the PMO area as a separate seating arrangement was made for them during PSL4. However, due to political pressure, later the owners were allowed to sit in the players’ dugout. It remains to be seen whether the same procedure will be followed this season or not. The PCB representative assured that they will soon draft a policy on this matter.

The PCB representative further added that all the teams, including players and owners, will be briefed by the anti-corruption officers according to ICC rules and regulations. Any player, coach or owner who fails to report a corrupt approach during the event, will be given a strict punishment according to Pakistan’s anti-corruption code. The board will try their best to make sure the event remains free from any kind of corruption The PSL 5 is scheduled to be played from February 20 to March 22. This is the first time in the league’s history where all matches will be played on home soil. Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan are scheduled to host the event

https://dailytimes.com.pk/538235/pcb-plans-strict-anti-corruption-measures-ahead-of-psl5/
 
Half of Lahore no more on Safe City radar

LAHORE: Half of the city is no more under surveillance of the Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA) mainly due to financial issues following a `tug of war’ between the police and bureaucracy to get control of the Rs17 billion mega project.

Official sources say almost 50 per cent (4,000) CCTV cameras are offline at a time when Lahore prepares to host some games of the Pakistan Super League and possibly the Bangladesh cricket team matches.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1528000/half-of-lahore-no-more-on-safe-city-radar
 
Opening match 1000 pkr tickets sold in 20 minutes. Expecting jam packed stadiums inshAllah
 
When will the PSL anthem be released?

Shockingly, their has been no news or announcements even about who the singers are. The anthem usually sets the tone and gets fans into the feel of the upcoming PSL. All the anthems so far have been released atleast a month before the opening ceremony.

Any news so far with 29 days left??
 
Tayyar Hain – the official anthem of HBL PSL 2020 to be released on Tuesday

• “I feel honored that I got to sing the HBL PSL V anthem along with such talented artists,” says Ali Azmat

• The central theme of HBL PSL V is Tayyar Hain – a recognition of Pakistan’s readiness to host the entire HBL PSL

Lahore, 27 January 2020:

Tayyar Hain, the official anthem of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020, will be released across the country via the leading television news channels on Tuesday, 28 January, before the 9pm news bulletins. The anthem will available for viewing at thePSL YouTube Channel and will subsequently be played at the venues in the build up to and during this season’s flagship event.

Tayyar Hain, through its lyrics and music, captures the mood and celebrates the fact that the entire HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 is taking place in Pakistan for the very first time.

The launch of the anthem will also mark the official launch of the marketing campaign and build up to HBL PSL V. An integrated marketing campaign will be running from 28 January onward across all platforms. The official hashtags for HBL PSL V will be #HBLPSLV and #TayyarHain.

Tayyar Hain’s video reflects the air of festivity gripping the entire nation with fans and supporters from all walks of life celebrating the home-coming of one of the most popular leagues on the planet.

Tayyar Hain is a collaboration of Pakistan’s rock icon Ali Azmat, folk music legend Arif Lohar, former Awaz singer Haroon Rashid and famous pop artist Asim Azhar. It has been produced by renowned musician Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (Xulfi), while Kamal Khan of Laal Kabootar fame has directed the anthem video.

A total of 22 instruments have been used in creating Tayyar Hain, including indigenous instruments such as tumba, chimta, rubab and harmonium, and the video also casts Pakistan star cricketers Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood.

Arif Lohar said: “The HBL PSL V anthem brings together some of Pakistan’s best artists and getting to be a part of this song is something I will cherish for a very long time.”

Ali Azmat said: “I feel honored that I got to sing the HBL PSL V anthem along with such talented artists. It will be something special to see packed stadiums in Pakistan with people from all walks of life singing and dancing to this song.”

Haroon Rashid said: “The HBL PSL V anthem and video truly encapsulate the feeling of excitement that grips the entire nation as we approach HBL PSL.”

Asim Azhar said: “Like most Pakistanis, I am an avid cricket fan myself and getting to sing the HBL PSL V anthem was a very special experience for me. It has allowed me to celebrate and express what most Pakistanis feel about the fact that their very own League is taking place in Pakistan.”

Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan said: “This song is about our preparedness as a nation for HBL PSL and it is also an ode to the perseverance of every cricket fan in the country. I am a huge fan of cricket myself and I view the entire event taking place in Pakistan as a huge victory for the nation. The anthem, through its unifying melody, celebrates this very victory that’s taken years to evolve to reach this point. So today, we can proudly say Tayyar Hain!”
 
Will the Corona Virus issue effect PSL?

Been declared a global emergency.
 
We have a query on whether a passport can be used to gain entry for ticket holders in PSL or a CNIC the only document to be used?
 
MenInG said:
We have a query on whether a passport can be used to gain entry for ticket holders in PSL or a CNIC the only document to be used?
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Each ticket holder shall carry his valid original CNIC/Passport or Form B (for below 18 years of age group) for entry in the venue along with one (01) copy of valid CNIC/Passport or Form B of the purchaser of the ticket. (Source: Yayvo)
 
History of the HBL Pakistan Super League

Lahore, 7 February 2020:

The HBL Pakistan Super League returns with the historic fifth edition set to be played in Pakistan from 20 February to 22 March 2020. This edition will be the first one to be played in Pakistan in its entirety.

Since the advent of the league in 2016, the tournament has gradually moved to Pakistan with this year’s edition nothing less than leapfrog for the coveted league.

The first edition that included five teams was played entirely in the UAE; the second edition saw the first step towards its homecoming with the final between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

The 2018 edition was the first instance that two Pakistani cities hosted the HBL PSL matches. Lahore was host to two play-offs while Karachi staged the final in which Islamabad United prevailed against defending champions Peshawar Zalmi. It was also in this very season that Multan Sultans was added as the sixth franchise.

The 2019 season had an unprecedented eight games in Pakistan. Karachi’s National Stadium was the host to all matches, including the three play-offs and the final between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi which Quetta won convincingly to lift the prestigious HBL PSL trophy for the first time.

Below is a brief look at the four exciting seasons from 2016-2019.

HBL PSL 2016:

Islamabad United made history when they beat Quetta Gladiators in the final of the inaugural edition of the HBL PSL to become the first-ever side to lift the prestigious PSL silverware. Islamabad cruised past the 175-run target for the loss of four wickets with eight balls spare in the final staged at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

West Indian Dwayne Smith was named the player-of-the-match for his scintillating 73 (51 balls, 7 fours, 4 sixes). Karachi Kings’ all-rounder Ravi Bopara was named the player-of-the-tournament for his all-round contributions (329 runs at 54.83, 11 wickets at 13.81).

The tournament was played on a double-league. Peshawar Zalmi topped the standings at the end of the round-robin stage but lost out on a place in the final after losing both their play-offs to Quetta and Islamabad, respectively.

The Zalmi-Gladiators first play-off was settled on the last-ball in front of a packed to capacity and heaving Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Quetta prevailed by one-run to clinch a spot in the final.

United’s opener Sharjeel Khan scored the first-ever century in the HBL PSL history. The left-hander’s 117 helped Islamabad to a comprehensive victory over Zalmi on their way to the title.

Qalandars’, who finished fifth and final in the standings, had something to cheer about as Umar Akmal topped the batting charts finishing with 335 runs in seven innings at an average of 83.75 and a staggering 157.27 strike-rate. The right-hander hit four fifties in the tournament.

United’s Andre Russell topped the bowling charts with 16 wickets in 10 games, Zalmi’s Wahab Riaz took 15 in nine games while Gladiators’ left-arm-spinner Mohammad Nawaz picked 13 wickets in 10 matches.

HBL PSL 2017:

Zalmi outclassed Gladiators in one-sided final played at the Gaddafi Stadium to lift the glittering HBL PSL 2017 trophy. Zalmi maintained their consistent run and topped the table at the end of the round-robin stage for the second successive time.

They, however, had to endure heartbreak for the second successive time when they lost another epic play-off against the Gladiators at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, once again by a solitary run. Chasing a monumental 201 runs to win, Zalmi finished at 199 for nine.

The Daren Sammy-led side made a great recovery and unlike the first season, won their second play-off to advance to the final.

Batting first in the final, Zalmi posted 148 for six in their 20 overs. Gladiators were dismissed for 90 runs in reply to lose their second consecutive final.

Sammy was named the player-of-the-match for his match turning unbeaten 28 off 11 balls (three sixes, one four) and astute leadership.

Kamran Akmal with 353 runs in 11 games including a century in the play-off against Kings and 12 dismissals behind the stumps was declared the player-of-the-tournament. He also bagged best batsman and best wicketkeeper of the tournament awards.

Kings’ Sohail Khan, with 16 wickets, topped the bowling charts, while Wahab finished on the second-spot on the bowling charts for the second consecutive time collecting 15 wickets in 10 games.

HBL PSL 2018:

The HBL PSL came to Karachi’s iconic National Stadium for the first time when metropolitan city hosted the final - of what was a glittering season - between the defending champions Zalmi and United.

United won their second title by overcoming Zalmi by three wickets in an exciting final match. Batting first, Zalmi posted 148 for nine, the 148-run final tally was the same as the 2017 final.

United, however, chased down the target with 19 balls spare. Luke Ronchi capped off his player-of-the-tournament performances with a brilliant 52 off 26 balls (four fours, five sixes).

He added 96 runs for the opening wicket with Sahibzada Farhan (44), a middle-order collapse brought Zalmi back in the hunt before a six-ball unbeaten 26 by Asif Ali including three consecutive sixes of Hasan Ali sealed Zalmi’s fate.

Ronchi scored 435 runs in 11 games at an astonishing strike-rate of 182; he averaged 43.50 to earn the most coveted player award in the tournament. Kamran occupied the second spot with 425 runs in 13 games which also included a century against Qalandars in Sharjah.

Faheem Ashraf doubled United’s joy with a bowler-of-the-tournament performance (18 wickets in 12 matches). Wahab made it a hat-trick of occupying the second spot on the bowlers chart with 18 wickets in 13 games at 19.11.

HBL PSL 2019:

It was a case of third time lucky for the Gladiators as they finally made their third appearance in the HBL PSL final count by overcoming Zalmi by eight wickets in the 17 March final played at the National Stadium. The low scoring final was won by Gladiators with a degree of comfort after Zalmi failed to post a sizeable total in the HBLPSL final for the third time.

Batting first, Zalmi posted 138 for eight as speedster Mohammad Hasnain and the richly experienced T20 globe trotter Dwayne Bravo shared five wickets between them.

Ahmed Shehzad and Rilee Rossouw saw off the chase with an unbroken 73-run third-wicket partnership to give Gladiators a much awaited HBL PSL title. Ahmed scored 58 off 51 balls while Rossouw made 39 off 32 balls.

Gladiators’ Australian import Shane Watson dazzled with the bat with a 430-run tally in 12 innings at 43.00 and a strike-rate of 143.81. He hit four half-centuries to top the batting charts topping.
Kamran was once again the mainstay for Zalmi producing 357 runs in 13 innings with the help of three half-centuries. United’s Cameron Delport stood third with 355 runs in 12 innings.

Hasan Ali had a magnificent season for Zalmi; the right-arm-pacer took 25 wickets in 13 games. Faheem took 21 in 12 games for the United while Wahab was once again among the top three, finishing the tournament with a 17 wicket tally in 13 matches.

The HBL PSL five begins in Karachi on 20 February with a dazzling opening ceremony set to keep going the tradition of spellbinding opening ceremonies of the first four seasons. Defending champions Gladiators will lockhorns with United in the opening clash just like the two did in the first-ever HBL PSL match back in 2016.

A galaxy of world class T20 stars will converge in Pakistan for the fifth edition which is set to grip the entire country in cricket fever for an entire month.

It promises to be another enthralling season, which should make for some memorable cricket.
 
Replacement players have been signed by the teams for players who are injured, unavailable or cried-off, but the teams cannot disclose the names yet.
 
HBL PSL breakout stars: Fakhar, Shaheen and Shadab reflect on their journeys

• The three players broke the glass ceiling post the inaugural tournament

Lahore, 8 February 2020:

Since its inception, the HBL Pakistan Super League has not only brought sparking talent to the limelight but has served as an inspiration to many youngsters.

The league, which is amongst the most famous T20 competitions around the world, has been a steppingstone for up and coming cricketers who have gone on to achieve accolades in international cricket.

Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan are such names. Coming in the HBL PSL after the first edition, they turned heads in their maiden tournaments and made an impact when they wore the Pakistan star.

Fakhar Zaman, an established international opener who played a crucial role in Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2017 triumph, rose to prominence after a successful 2016-17 season in which he scored a century for Habib Bank Limited against Water and Power Development Authority in the second innings of the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and ended as the second highest run-getter in the Pakistan Cup, scoring at an average of 59.40.

He was picked by Lahore Qalandars for the second edition, in 2017, and was quick to make an impact by playing a crucial role in his side’s first-ever win against arch-rivals Karachi Kings. The left-hander scored 56 off 36 balls, which included five fours and three sixes, to set up a daunting 179 for eight.

Talking to pcb.com.pk on his HBL PSL journey, Fakhar Zaman said: “I was in Dubai, playing local cricket, during the first edition and I used to watch HBL PSL matches there with my friends. It was very heartening to see my fellow cricketers play in a big league.

“It was a great feeling when I joined Lahore Qalandars. Having top international players in the team’s dressing room and in the opposition helped me learn a lot about the game.

“My best HBL PSL memory is from that season. I remember we had just lost to Karachi King and gotten knocked out of the tournament. Mickey Arthur tapped me on my back and told me to stay ready as he will call me for the Pakistan camp. I still speak to people about it. It will certainly remain one of the best memories of my cricketing career.”

Shaheen Shah Afridi, now a permanent fixture in Pakistan’s all three sides, grabbed Lahore Qalandars’ attention after a phenomenal first-class debut in the 2017-18 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The tall left-arm pacer, then just 17, returned eight for 39– the best figures for a Pakistan fast-bowler on first-class debut.

He then went on to represent Pakistan in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in early 2018 where he finished as the highest wicket-taker for Pakistan and fifth overall with 12 wickets at 14.58 in five matches. His economy rate of 3.58 was the best amongst the top-five wicket-takers.

Making his debut in the 2018 edition of the HBL PSL, Shaheen grabbed the nation’s conscious when he razed Multan Sultans’ batting line-up to record five for four, which set Lahore Qalandars’ first win in seven matches that season.

Recalling his maiden HBL PSL season, Shaheen Afridi told pcb.com.pk: “HBL PSL is a perfect platform for the youngsters as it helps in recognition of the young talent. I used to watch the HBL PSL matches with my elder brother, Riaz Afridi, at my home. He is my first coach and he used to guide me while watching the matches on how to bowl in T20 matches.

“I started playing cricket in 2015 at the U16 level. After I made my first-class debut, I was invited by Aaqib Javed for Lahore Qalandars’ trials after which I was picked in the emerging category and from there my HBL PSL journey began.

“I used to watch Brendon McCullum and Fakhar Zaman and it was a dream to play and share the dressing room with them. Joining the HBL PSL was like I have entered a place where all of my dreams are coming true. I wanted to play Pakistan next and the Almighty gave me that as well.

“My favourite memory is my five-wicket haul against Multan Sultans in my debut season. I had not been able to perform that season so I had met Sameen [Rana, the owner of Lahore Qalandars] bhai at the breakfast and told him that I don’t want this money as the team is losing because of me. But, he gave me the confidence after which I performed.”

In his maiden HBL PSL season – which was in 2017 – Shadab Khan was turning heads for his ability to spin the ball both ways. He finished that season with nine wickets in eight matches at an average of just over 19.

It was his brilliant run in the 2015-16 Inter-region U19 one-day tournament, in which he was the best bowler with 32 wickets at a staggering average of 7.38 and in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, where finished as Pakistan’s joint-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps, that raised his stocks ahead of the HBL Player Draft for the second edition.

A few weeks after his HBL PSL debut, Shadab made his T20I debut against West Indies and the leggie impressed with bagging back to back man-of-the-match awards in his first two international games at the senior level.

He was a vital cog in the Pakistan squad that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 by beating India in the final at The Oval in the summer of 2017. This season, he will be leading Islamabad United.

Speaking about his selection and the quality of cricket in HBL PSL, Shadab Khan told pcb.com.pk: “I was playing for Pakistan in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh in 2016 and despite having a busy schedule I remember watching two-three matches.

“After the first HBL PSL edition, I played under Misbah-ul-Haq in the Pentangular Cup as an emerging player and, thankfully, I put up a good performance in my first match, which was also my List-A debut. After which I was selected for Pakistan ‘A’ tour where I performed really well. My performances in the lead up to the second edition and playing under Misbah bhai helped me in getting recognised.

“We were on our way to Zimbabwe for a Pakistan ‘A’ tour and I was on the plane when the draft for the second edition was going on. I had a belief in myself that I would be selected, but I was a little anxious. I got to know that I have been selected through a message from the Islamabad United manager when we landed at Dubai airport. That feeling, I cannot put in words.

“HBL PSL emulates the conditions that a player comes across in international matches as all the best players from around the world participate in it. Performing in this league really boosts the confidence of a player. When I played my first season for Islamabad United, I got to bowl to big names like Kumar Sangakkara and Chris Gayle and I deceived them with my googlies which gave me that confidence in my abilities.”

The fifth HBL PSL edition begins on 20 February with a glamorous opening ceremony followed by the tournament opener between defending champions Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United at Karachi’s National Stadium.
 
Replacement picks finalised for HBL PSL V

Lahore, 8 February 2020:

Eight new players were drafted across the six HBL Pakistan Super League squads for the upcoming edition, which commences on 20 February, during the Player Replacement Draft held at the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Karachi Kings made two full replacement picks, Peshawar Zalmi made one full and one partial replacement pick, Islamabad United made one full replacement pick, Lahore Qalandars made one full replacement pick, while Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans made one partial replacement pick each.

The order of the replacement draft was determined on a scale of unscheduled to scheduled unavailability.

The teams that had their players become unavailable because of unscheduled unavailability were given first picks followed by teams that had known unavailability at the time of HBL PSL V Player Draft.

Karachi Kings’ Liam Plunkett (Gold, Supplementary) has been ruled out of HBL PSL V due to an injury and he will be replaced by New Zealand fast-bowler Mitch McClenaghan (Gold) for the full duration of the tournament. The left-arm Kiwi pacer has previously featured for Lahore Qalandars.

Their other replacement was also for the complete edition with Chadwick Walton (Silver), who returns to the HBL PSL after turning out for Islamabad United in the 2018 and 2019 editions, coming in place of Dan Lawrence (Silver), a 22-year-old Essex batsman, who will be busy with England Lions.

Peshawar Zalmi brought in England pacer Lewis Gregory (Silver) for South African Dwaine Pretorius (Silver) who will be on national duty.

Hard-hitting all-rounder Kieron Pollard (Platinum) will join the Zalmi side after West Indies’ series against Sri Lanka on 7 March. Till then, his spot will be covered by Carlos Brathwaite (Diamond), who played for Lahore Qalandars in last year’s edition.

For the same reason, Pollard’s international teammate Fabian Allen (Silver) will join Multan Sultans in the middle of the tournament. Allen will be covered by Derbyshire all-rounder Wayne Madsen (Silver).

Lahore Qalandars will have Dane Vilas (Gold), a 34-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman who has played six Tests and an ODI for South Africa, replace Lendl Simmons for the full competition. Simmons will not feature in the competition due to personal reasons.

Two-time champions Islamabad United replaced Rassie van der Dussen (Gold, Supplementary), who has to be on South Africa duty, with Dawid Malan (Silver). The left-handed England batsman had been with Peshawar Zalmi since the inaugural edition and has 377 runs at a strike rate of 112 in 16 HBL PSL matches.

Quetta Gladiators have drafted Zahid Mehmood (Silver), the Southern Punjab leg-spinner, till 7 March as a partial replacement for Keemo Paul (Silver, supplementary) who will be busy with international commitments.

Team-wise replacements:

Karachi Kings– Mitch McClenaghan (Gold) replaces Liam Plunkett (Gold, Supplementary) for the full competition; Chadwick Walton (Silver) replaces Dan Lawrence (Silver) for the full competition

Peshawar Zalmi– Lewis Gregory (Silver) replaces Dwaine Pretorius (Sliver) for the full competition; Carlos Brathwaite (Diamond) replaces Kieron Pollard (Platinum) till 7 March.

Multan Sultans– Wayne Madsen (Silver) replaces Fabian Allen (Silver) till 7 March.

Lahore Qalandars– Dane Vilas (Gold) replaces Lendl Simmons (Diamond, Supplementary) for the full competition.

Islamabad United– Dawid Malan (Silver) replaces Rassie van der Dussen (Gold, Supplementary) for the full competition.

Quetta Gladiators– Zahid Mehmood (Silver) replaces Keemo Paul (Silver, Supplementary) till 7 March.
 
Really hope the Pakistanis in Pakistan will be grateful for all the work our board has done in getting the PSL back home.

I would love to see full stadiums
 
Faisal Afridi and Richard Illingworth named as on-field umpires for HBL PSL 2020 opener

• Sri Lanka’s Roshan Mahanama to lead the playing control team on 20 February in Karachi

• Aleem Dar to lead a strong field of 15 umpires, including Illingworth, Michael Gough and Ranmore Martinesz


Lahore, 9 February 2020:

England’s Richard Illingworth will team up with Faisal Khan Afridi as an on-field umpire for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 opening match between defending champions Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United at the National Stadium on 20 February.

Sri Lanka’s Roshan Mahanama will lead the playing control team for the curtain-raiser that will also include Asif Yaqoob as third umpire and Syed Imtiaz Iqbal as fourth umpire.

Illingworth is one of the three foreign umpires who will be involved in the 32-day competition, which will feature 34 matches in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.

Sri Lanka’s Ranmore Martinesz will be in action in the third match at the Gaddafi Stadium between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, while Michael Gough’s first of nine matches will also be at the Gaddafi Stadium on 6 March when Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans will go toe to toe.

Aleem Dar, three-time ICC Umpire of the Year, will also return to the tournament after missing the 2019 event due to his international commitments. Aleem, at this stage, is scheduled to umpire in 10, 11 and 15 March matches at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Aleem will lead a field of 15 umpires who have been selected for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020. The list includes five new faces in Aslam Bareach, Majid Hussain, Nasir Hussain, Saqib Khan and Syed Imtiaz Iqbal, who will perform fourth umpire responsibilities.

The 10 umpires to share on-field responsibilities in the 30 preliminary round matches are Ahsan Raza, Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Khan Afridi, Michael Gough, Rashid Riaz, Richard Illingworth, Shozab Raza, Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed.

Besides Roshan Mahanama, Javed Malik, Mohammad Anees and Aziz-ur-Rehman will be the match referees.

Appointments for the Qualifier, two Eliminators and 22 March final will be announced in due course.

Umpire and match referee appointments:

20 Feb – Opening ceremony, followed by Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, National Stadium (time TBC). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

21 Feb – Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Stadium (3pm-6.15pm). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (8pm-11.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

22 Feb – Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, National Stadium (2pm-5.15pm). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Shozab Raza (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

23 Feb – Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Stadium (2pm-5.15pm). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

26 Feb – Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Faisal Khan Afridi and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Aslam Bareach (fourth umpire), Javed Malik (match referee)

27 Feb – Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

28 Feb – Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium (3pm-6.15pm). Faisal Khan Afridi and Shozab Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Aslam Bareach (fourth umpire), Javed Malik (match referee); Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium (8pm-11.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

29 Feb – Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium (2pm-5.15pm). Faisal Khan Afridi and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Aslam Bareach (fourth umpire), Javed Malik (match referee); Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

1 Mar – Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

2 Mar – Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

3 Mar – Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Shozab Raza and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee).

4 Mar – Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Shozab Raza and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Faisal Khan Afridi (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Aziz-ur-Rehman (match referee)

5 Mar – Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

6 Mar – Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Michael Gough and Shozab Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Aziz-ur-Rehman (match referee)

7 Mar – Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium (2pm-5.15pm). Tariq Rasheed and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Ranmore Martinesz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Michael Gough and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Aziz-ur-Rehman (match referee)

8 Mar – Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium (2pm-5.15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Michael Gough and Shozab Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

10 Mar – Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Michael Gough and Aleem Dar (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

11 Mar – Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Asif Yaqoob and Aleem Dar (on-field), Michael Gough (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohamad Anees (match referee)

12 Mar – Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Ahsan Raza and Michael Gough (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanam (match referee)

13 Mar – Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, National Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Rashid Riaz and Michael Gough (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

14 Mar – Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Stadium (7pm-5.15pm). Ahsan Raza and Michael Gough (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

15 Mar – Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium (2pm-5.15pm). Shozab Raza and Aleem Dar (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee); Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, National Stadium (7pm-10.15pm). Rashid Riaz and Michael Gough (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

Appointments will be announced in due course for the following matches:

17 Mar – Qualifier (1 v 2), National Stadium (7pm-10.15pm)

18 Mar – Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm)

20 Mar – Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1), Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10.15pm)

22 Mar – Final, Gaddafi Stadium (start time TBC
 
HBL PSL 2020 squads from franchise owners’ perspectives



Lahore, 11 February 2020:

With only 9 days to go in the opening match of the much-anticipated fifth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League, the fans are taking to social media with their playing XIs for their favourite franchises.

The same level of excitement is found amongst the franchise owners who are eager to see their teams fight tooth and nail for the coveted trophy in front of passionate home crowds.

After months of backroom discussions and deliberations for the crucial process of team selection – Player Draft in December and Replacement Draft last week – the six owners take a look at their line-ups for the upcoming season.

Two-time champion Islamabad United’s owner, Ali Naqvi, said: “We are very happy with the team we have built for this season. At the Draft we went with our tried and tested #DimaghSe strategy and ended up achieving most of our targets.

“Looking at the final squad, we feel very confident about another successful season. Our aim was to surround our younger local players with quality international pros. Hence we are delighted to get the likes of [Dale] Steyn in our squad. His impact on youngsters like Akif [Javed] and Musa [Khan] will be huge. It is one thing to be coached by a legend, but it is an unparalleled experience when you play and train with one.

“Islamabad United have always focused on identifying talent from within the system hence the Emerging category has always been the priority for us. Even our current captain, Shadab Khan, was picked in the Emerging category in HBL PSL 2017. After every HBL PSL season, at least one emerging Islamabad United player has gone on to represent Pakistan. This season we are very confident about it happening again.”

Islamabad United squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Shadab Khan (captain), Dale Steyn and Colin Ingram
Diamond – Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali and Colin Munro
Gold – Luke Ronchi, Hussain Talat and Rumman Raees
Silver – Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar and Phil Salt
Emerging – Akif Javed and Ahmed Safi Abdullah
Supplementary – Saif Badar and Dawid Malan (Silver)

Karachi Kings’ owner Salman Iqbal said: “I am very happy with the squad which we have been able to assemble. Our philosophy was very clear that we have to retain core nucleus of the team with the players who we want to be with us in the long-term, while building a strong bench around them with strategic picks for critical positions.

“Getting Alex [Hales] in the side at the last spot in the round was a coup for us as he was our target player who we wanted to recruit straight into the team. The top T20 batter Babar Azam now has one of the most dangerous top-order partners with him with an in-form Hales. Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport build a very strong top-order core with them.

“We have built a multi-dimensional and adaptive bowling core with a focus on getting specialists for different T20 phases. Being able to get CJ [Chris Jordan] really helped us. The team that we have built gives me a lot of confidence about our prospects this season.

“With Imad Wasim, Babar, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Aamir Yamin and talented youngsters like Umer Khan, who I believe has a tremendous future ahead, Osama and now Arshad Iqbal, who has the desired skill and tactical maturity, we have various pieces we wanted and what remains to be seen is how great a team they can become.

“I have always been impressed by the talent our nation has and I feel it is my responsibility to provide young talent chances to impress. I am often sent videos of talented youngsters from across Pakistan and last year when I heard of the prodigious talent of Umer, I knew we have to pick him. Many other teams have also chosen talented youngsters like Akif Javed, Rohail Nazir and Amir Khan who are very exciting to watch. I look forward to see them play as a franchise owner and as a fan and hope they are going to use this stage to showcase their brilliance and make a name for themselves.”

Karachi Kings squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir and Alex Hales
Diamond – Imad Wasim (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed and Chris Jordan
Gold – Aamir Yamin, Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport
Silver - Usama Mir, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Chadwick Walton and Ali Khan
Emerging – Umer Khan and Arshad Iqbal
Supplementary – Mitch McClenaghan and Awais Zia

Lahore Qalandars’ CEO Atif Rana said: “Like the entire country, the Lahore Qalandars are very excited about HBL PSL 2020. Our team has worked really hard behind the scenes to cover all bases for this year's competition and we managed to achieve all of our retention and Draft selection targets.

“Our squad is a great mix of utility foreign players along with experienced as well as exciting young players from Pakistan. Composition-wise we have covered all the bases. We have good fast bowlers and excellent spinners along with the desired batting strength in the top and middle order. We wanted to achieve the target of putting together a balanced side, which I feel we have.

“Last year, we groomed and presented Haris Rauf, who has now taken the world by storm with his performances. This year, we aim to provide players like Dilbar Hussain and Farzan Raja with similar opportunities to showcase their talent to the world.”

Lahore Qalandars squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Chris Lynn
Diamond – Shaheen Afridi, David Wiese and Usman Shinwari
Gold – Haris Rauf, Sohail Akhtar (captain) and Samit Patel
Silver – Salman Butt, Seekkuge Prsanna, Ben Dunk, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali
Emerging – Mohammad Faizan
Supplementary – Dane Vilas, Dilbar Hussain

Alamgir Khan Tareen, co-owner of Multan Sultans, said: “I am extremely happy since we were able to get all the players that our think-tank had identified. We had targeted certain players for specific roles and we are satisfied with our choices. We have good squad depth and decent like-for-like cover in every position.

“I am particularly excited about the emerging and young players in our team. [Mohammad] Ilyas had a strong HBL PSL 2019 and was one of the top emerging players of the tournament, while Rohail Nazir’s recent accomplishments speak for themselves. Rohail has led the national U19 and emerging teams commendably and we believe that he can be an asset for Pakistan cricket in the future.

“Ali Shafique is an exceptional talent as well. It was unfortunate that his participation in the last edition was curtailed due to an injury, but his extraordinary debut performance against Islamabad United showed everyone what he is capable of. We also have Khushdil Shah in our side whose explosive batting has earned him a call up to the Pakistan team. We hope that he lives up to everyone’s expectations and has a standout tournament.”

Multan Sultans squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Mohammad Irfan, Moeen Ali and Rilee Rossouw
Diamond – Shahid Afridi, Zeeshan Ashraf and Ravi Bopara
Gold – James Vince, Junaid Khan and Sohail Tanvir
Silver – Ali Shafiq, Shan Masood (captain), Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir, Fabian Allen (from 7 March) and Wayne Madesn (till 7 March)
Emerging – Mohammad Ilyas and Rohail Nazir
Supplementary – Imran Tahir and Bilawal Bhatti

Champions of the HBL PSL 2017 Peshawar Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi said: “I am extremely happy with the squad. The HBL PSL Draft went very well for us. We were able to pick the players we wanted. We did not have the first pick in most categories, but the players we opted for ticked several boxes for us. Mohammad Akram is the one who looks after this department and his picks have always been top notch.

“We have always opted for a mix of young players and experienced individuals. We had Hasan Ali with us when he was an emerging player and his progress is for everyone to see. Players like Ibtisam Sheikh and Sameen Gul proved their worth. This season, we have U19 stars in Haider Ali and Amir Khan. We are very excited to have them. Another player who could surprise and raise some eyebrows is Mohammad Mohsin.

“We retained most of our key players and got Liam Dawson back in the Draft as well. Tom Banton is an exciting prospect and we were lucky to have the opening pick in that round. He had a very good Big Bash League season with Brisbane Heat. Another player we are looking forward to having is Liam Livingstone. Exciting times ahead!”

Peshawar Zalmi squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard (from 7 March) and Wahab Riaz
Diamond – Kamran Akmal, Tom Banton, Shoaib Malik and Carlos Brathwaite (till 7 March)
Gold – Darren Sammy, Imam-ul-Haq and Liam Dawson
Silver – Umar Amin, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Lewis Gregory and Adil Amin
Emerging – Amir Khan and Amir Ali
Supplementary – Liam Livingstone and Haider Ali

Nadeem Omar, the owner of the defending champions Quetta Gladiators, said: “The Quetta Gladiators squad is well balanced with T20 specialists both in batting and bowling departments. We did fairly well at the Draft with guys like Jason Roy and Ben Cutting joining the Gladiators though we couldn’t retain players like Sohail Tanvir and Rilee Rossouw. Fawad Ahmed getting picked up again was also a great plus.

“Our young and emerging players Aarish Ali Khan and Azam Khan are extremely talented and future prospects for Pakistan and I am sure they will not let us down.

“We are confident that we have a good combination, like last year. If we play to our potential, hopefully we would be the team with the silverware at the end of the HBL PSL 2020.”

Quetta Gladiators squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain) and Jason Roy
Diamond – Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad and Ben Cutting
Gold – Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hasnain and Fawad Ahmed
Silver – Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir
Emerging – Arish Ali Khan and Azam Khan
Supplementary – Keemo Paul (from 7 March), Khurram Manzoor and Zahid Mehmood (till 7 March)
 
MenInG said:
HBL PSL 2020 squads from franchise owners’ perspectives



Lahore, 11 February 2020:

With only 9 days to go in the opening match of the much-anticipated fifth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League, the fans are taking to social media with their playing XIs for their favourite franchises.

The same level of excitement is found amongst the franchise owners who are eager to see their teams fight tooth and nail for the coveted trophy in front of passionate home crowds.

After months of backroom discussions and deliberations for the crucial process of team selection – Player Draft in December and Replacement Draft last week – the six owners take a look at their line-ups for the upcoming season.

Two-time champion Islamabad United’s owner, Ali Naqvi, said: “We are very happy with the team we have built for this season. At the Draft we went with our tried and tested #DimaghSe strategy and ended up achieving most of our targets.

“Looking at the final squad, we feel very confident about another successful season. Our aim was to surround our younger local players with quality international pros. Hence we are delighted to get the likes of [Dale] Steyn in our squad. His impact on youngsters like Akif [Javed] and Musa [Khan] will be huge. It is one thing to be coached by a legend, but it is an unparalleled experience when you play and train with one.

“Islamabad United have always focused on identifying talent from within the system hence the Emerging category has always been the priority for us. Even our current captain, Shadab Khan, was picked in the Emerging category in HBL PSL 2017. After every HBL PSL season, at least one emerging Islamabad United player has gone on to represent Pakistan. This season we are very confident about it happening again.”

Islamabad United squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Shadab Khan (captain), Dale Steyn and Colin Ingram
Diamond – Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali and Colin Munro
Gold – Luke Ronchi, Hussain Talat and Rumman Raees
Silver – Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar and Phil Salt
Emerging – Akif Javed and Ahmed Safi Abdullah
Supplementary – Saif Badar and Dawid Malan (Silver)

Karachi Kings’ owner Salman Iqbal said: “I am very happy with the squad which we have been able to assemble. Our philosophy was very clear that we have to retain core nucleus of the team with the players who we want to be with us in the long-term, while building a strong bench around them with strategic picks for critical positions.

“Getting Alex [Hales] in the side at the last spot in the round was a coup for us as he was our target player who we wanted to recruit straight into the team. The top T20 batter Babar Azam now has one of the most dangerous top-order partners with him with an in-form Hales. Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport build a very strong top-order core with them.

“We have built a multi-dimensional and adaptive bowling core with a focus on getting specialists for different T20 phases. Being able to get CJ [Chris Jordan] really helped us. The team that we have built gives me a lot of confidence about our prospects this season.

“With Imad Wasim, Babar, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Aamir Yamin and talented youngsters like Umer Khan, who I believe has a tremendous future ahead, Osama and now Arshad Iqbal, who has the desired skill and tactical maturity, we have various pieces we wanted and what remains to be seen is how great a team they can become.

“I have always been impressed by the talent our nation has and I feel it is my responsibility to provide young talent chances to impress. I am often sent videos of talented youngsters from across Pakistan and last year when I heard of the prodigious talent of Umer, I knew we have to pick him. Many other teams have also chosen talented youngsters like Akif Javed, Rohail Nazir and Amir Khan who are very exciting to watch. I look forward to see them play as a franchise owner and as a fan and hope they are going to use this stage to showcase their brilliance and make a name for themselves.”

Karachi Kings squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir and Alex Hales
Diamond – Imad Wasim (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed and Chris Jordan
Gold – Aamir Yamin, Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport
Silver - Usama Mir, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Chadwick Walton and Ali Khan
Emerging – Umer Khan and Arshad Iqbal
Supplementary – Mitch McClenaghan and Awais Zia

Lahore Qalandars’ CEO Atif Rana said: “Like the entire country, the Lahore Qalandars are very excited about HBL PSL 2020. Our team has worked really hard behind the scenes to cover all bases for this year's competition and we managed to achieve all of our retention and Draft selection targets.

“Our squad is a great mix of utility foreign players along with experienced as well as exciting young players from Pakistan. Composition-wise we have covered all the bases. We have good fast bowlers and excellent spinners along with the desired batting strength in the top and middle order. We wanted to achieve the target of putting together a balanced side, which I feel we have.

“Last year, we groomed and presented Haris Rauf, who has now taken the world by storm with his performances. This year, we aim to provide players like Dilbar Hussain and Farzan Raja with similar opportunities to showcase their talent to the world.”

Lahore Qalandars squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Chris Lynn
Diamond – Shaheen Afridi, David Wiese and Usman Shinwari
Gold – Haris Rauf, Sohail Akhtar (captain) and Samit Patel
Silver – Salman Butt, Seekkuge Prsanna, Ben Dunk, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali
Emerging – Mohammad Faizan
Supplementary – Dane Vilas, Dilbar Hussain

Alamgir Khan Tareen, co-owner of Multan Sultans, said: “I am extremely happy since we were able to get all the players that our think-tank had identified. We had targeted certain players for specific roles and we are satisfied with our choices. We have good squad depth and decent like-for-like cover in every position.

“I am particularly excited about the emerging and young players in our team. [Mohammad] Ilyas had a strong HBL PSL 2019 and was one of the top emerging players of the tournament, while Rohail Nazir’s recent accomplishments speak for themselves. Rohail has led the national U19 and emerging teams commendably and we believe that he can be an asset for Pakistan cricket in the future.

“Ali Shafique is an exceptional talent as well. It was unfortunate that his participation in the last edition was curtailed due to an injury, but his extraordinary debut performance against Islamabad United showed everyone what he is capable of. We also have Khushdil Shah in our side whose explosive batting has earned him a call up to the Pakistan team. We hope that he lives up to everyone’s expectations and has a standout tournament.”

Multan Sultans squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Mohammad Irfan, Moeen Ali and Rilee Rossouw
Diamond – Shahid Afridi, Zeeshan Ashraf and Ravi Bopara
Gold – James Vince, Junaid Khan and Sohail Tanvir
Silver – Ali Shafiq, Shan Masood (captain), Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir, Fabian Allen (from 7 March) and Wayne Madesn (till 7 March)
Emerging – Mohammad Ilyas and Rohail Nazir
Supplementary – Imran Tahir and Bilawal Bhatti

Champions of the HBL PSL 2017 Peshawar Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi said: “I am extremely happy with the squad. The HBL PSL Draft went very well for us. We were able to pick the players we wanted. We did not have the first pick in most categories, but the players we opted for ticked several boxes for us. Mohammad Akram is the one who looks after this department and his picks have always been top notch.

“We have always opted for a mix of young players and experienced individuals. We had Hasan Ali with us when he was an emerging player and his progress is for everyone to see. Players like Ibtisam Sheikh and Sameen Gul proved their worth. This season, we have U19 stars in Haider Ali and Amir Khan. We are very excited to have them. Another player who could surprise and raise some eyebrows is Mohammad Mohsin.

“We retained most of our key players and got Liam Dawson back in the Draft as well. Tom Banton is an exciting prospect and we were lucky to have the opening pick in that round. He had a very good Big Bash League season with Brisbane Heat. Another player we are looking forward to having is Liam Livingstone. Exciting times ahead!”

Peshawar Zalmi squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard (from 7 March) and Wahab Riaz
Diamond – Kamran Akmal, Tom Banton, Shoaib Malik and Carlos Brathwaite (till 7 March)
Gold – Darren Sammy, Imam-ul-Haq and Liam Dawson
Silver – Umar Amin, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Lewis Gregory and Adil Amin
Emerging – Amir Khan and Amir Ali
Supplementary – Liam Livingstone and Haider Ali

Nadeem Omar, the owner of the defending champions Quetta Gladiators, said: “The Quetta Gladiators squad is well balanced with T20 specialists both in batting and bowling departments. We did fairly well at the Draft with guys like Jason Roy and Ben Cutting joining the Gladiators though we couldn’t retain players like Sohail Tanvir and Rilee Rossouw. Fawad Ahmed getting picked up again was also a great plus.

“Our young and emerging players Aarish Ali Khan and Azam Khan are extremely talented and future prospects for Pakistan and I am sure they will not let us down.

“We are confident that we have a good combination, like last year. If we play to our potential, hopefully we would be the team with the silverware at the end of the HBL PSL 2020.”

Quetta Gladiators squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain) and Jason Roy
Diamond – Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad and Ben Cutting
Gold – Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hasnain and Fawad Ahmed
Silver – Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir
Emerging – Arish Ali Khan and Azam Khan
Supplementary – Keemo Paul (from 7 March), Khurram Manzoor and Zahid Mehmood (till 7 March)
Click to expand...

Any idea why does LQ have only one emerging player?
 
Quetta
Shezard,roy,watson,sarfraz,umar akmal,cutting,nawaz,khan,mills,naseem,arish khan

Lohare
Fakhar,lyn,hafeez,wiese,akhtar,faizan,patel,shinwari,shaheen,rauf.

Multan
Masood,vince,nazir,rossow,moen ali,khushdil,afridi,bopara,tanvir,irfan,junaid

Islamabad

Ronchi,munro,talat,Ingram,rizwan,ali,butt,ashraf,shadab,akif,
steyn.

Peshawar
Akmal,bantom,amin,malik,patroise,pollard,dawson,sammy,wahab,ali,amir ali.

Karachi
Sharjeel,hales,babar,rizwan,delport,iftikhar,yamin,IMAd,amir,jordan,arshad iqbal,

My predicted teams
 
MenInG said:
HBL PSL 2020 squads from franchise owners’ perspectives



Lahore, 11 February 2020:

With only 9 days to go in the opening match of the much-anticipated fifth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League, the fans are taking to social media with their playing XIs for their favourite franchises.

The same level of excitement is found amongst the franchise owners who are eager to see their teams fight tooth and nail for the coveted trophy in front of passionate home crowds.

After months of backroom discussions and deliberations for the crucial process of team selection – Player Draft in December and Replacement Draft last week – the six owners take a look at their line-ups for the upcoming season.

Two-time champion Islamabad United’s owner, Ali Naqvi, said: “We are very happy with the team we have built for this season. At the Draft we went with our tried and tested #DimaghSe strategy and ended up achieving most of our targets.

“Looking at the final squad, we feel very confident about another successful season. Our aim was to surround our younger local players with quality international pros. Hence we are delighted to get the likes of [Dale] Steyn in our squad. His impact on youngsters like Akif [Javed] and Musa [Khan] will be huge. It is one thing to be coached by a legend, but it is an unparalleled experience when you play and train with one.

“Islamabad United have always focused on identifying talent from within the system hence the Emerging category has always been the priority for us. Even our current captain, Shadab Khan, was picked in the Emerging category in HBL PSL 2017. After every HBL PSL season, at least one emerging Islamabad United player has gone on to represent Pakistan. This season we are very confident about it happening again.”

Islamabad United squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Shadab Khan (captain), Dale Steyn and Colin Ingram
Diamond – Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali and Colin Munro
Gold – Luke Ronchi, Hussain Talat and Rumman Raees
Silver – Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar and Phil Salt
Emerging – Akif Javed and Ahmed Safi Abdullah
Supplementary – Saif Badar and Dawid Malan (Silver)

Karachi Kings’ owner Salman Iqbal said: “I am very happy with the squad which we have been able to assemble. Our philosophy was very clear that we have to retain core nucleus of the team with the players who we want to be with us in the long-term, while building a strong bench around them with strategic picks for critical positions.

“Getting Alex [Hales] in the side at the last spot in the round was a coup for us as he was our target player who we wanted to recruit straight into the team. The top T20 batter Babar Azam now has one of the most dangerous top-order partners with him with an in-form Hales. Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport build a very strong top-order core with them.

“We have built a multi-dimensional and adaptive bowling core with a focus on getting specialists for different T20 phases. Being able to get CJ [Chris Jordan] really helped us. The team that we have built gives me a lot of confidence about our prospects this season.

“With Imad Wasim, Babar, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Aamir Yamin and talented youngsters like Umer Khan, who I believe has a tremendous future ahead, Osama and now Arshad Iqbal, who has the desired skill and tactical maturity, we have various pieces we wanted and what remains to be seen is how great a team they can become.

“I have always been impressed by the talent our nation has and I feel it is my responsibility to provide young talent chances to impress. I am often sent videos of talented youngsters from across Pakistan and last year when I heard of the prodigious talent of Umer, I knew we have to pick him. Many other teams have also chosen talented youngsters like Akif Javed, Rohail Nazir and Amir Khan who are very exciting to watch. I look forward to see them play as a franchise owner and as a fan and hope they are going to use this stage to showcase their brilliance and make a name for themselves.”

Karachi Kings squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir and Alex Hales
Diamond – Imad Wasim (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed and Chris Jordan
Gold – Aamir Yamin, Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport
Silver - Usama Mir, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Chadwick Walton and Ali Khan
Emerging – Umer Khan and Arshad Iqbal
Supplementary – Mitch McClenaghan and Awais Zia

Lahore Qalandars’ CEO Atif Rana said: “Like the entire country, the Lahore Qalandars are very excited about HBL PSL 2020. Our team has worked really hard behind the scenes to cover all bases for this year's competition and we managed to achieve all of our retention and Draft selection targets.

“Our squad is a great mix of utility foreign players along with experienced as well as exciting young players from Pakistan. Composition-wise we have covered all the bases. We have good fast bowlers and excellent spinners along with the desired batting strength in the top and middle order. We wanted to achieve the target of putting together a balanced side, which I feel we have.

“Last year, we groomed and presented Haris Rauf, who has now taken the world by storm with his performances. This year, we aim to provide players like Dilbar Hussain and Farzan Raja with similar opportunities to showcase their talent to the world.”

Lahore Qalandars squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Chris Lynn
Diamond – Shaheen Afridi, David Wiese and Usman Shinwari
Gold – Haris Rauf, Sohail Akhtar (captain) and Samit Patel
Silver – Salman Butt, Seekkuge Prsanna, Ben Dunk, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali
Emerging – Mohammad Faizan
Supplementary – Dane Vilas, Dilbar Hussain

Alamgir Khan Tareen, co-owner of Multan Sultans, said: “I am extremely happy since we were able to get all the players that our think-tank had identified. We had targeted certain players for specific roles and we are satisfied with our choices. We have good squad depth and decent like-for-like cover in every position.

“I am particularly excited about the emerging and young players in our team. [Mohammad] Ilyas had a strong HBL PSL 2019 and was one of the top emerging players of the tournament, while Rohail Nazir’s recent accomplishments speak for themselves. Rohail has led the national U19 and emerging teams commendably and we believe that he can be an asset for Pakistan cricket in the future.

“Ali Shafique is an exceptional talent as well. It was unfortunate that his participation in the last edition was curtailed due to an injury, but his extraordinary debut performance against Islamabad United showed everyone what he is capable of. We also have Khushdil Shah in our side whose explosive batting has earned him a call up to the Pakistan team. We hope that he lives up to everyone’s expectations and has a standout tournament.”

Multan Sultans squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Mohammad Irfan, Moeen Ali and Rilee Rossouw
Diamond – Shahid Afridi, Zeeshan Ashraf and Ravi Bopara
Gold – James Vince, Junaid Khan and Sohail Tanvir
Silver – Ali Shafiq, Shan Masood (captain), Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir, Fabian Allen (from 7 March) and Wayne Madesn (till 7 March)
Emerging – Mohammad Ilyas and Rohail Nazir
Supplementary – Imran Tahir and Bilawal Bhatti

Champions of the HBL PSL 2017 Peshawar Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi said: “I am extremely happy with the squad. The HBL PSL Draft went very well for us. We were able to pick the players we wanted. We did not have the first pick in most categories, but the players we opted for ticked several boxes for us. Mohammad Akram is the one who looks after this department and his picks have always been top notch.

“We have always opted for a mix of young players and experienced individuals. We had Hasan Ali with us when he was an emerging player and his progress is for everyone to see. Players like Ibtisam Sheikh and Sameen Gul proved their worth. This season, we have U19 stars in Haider Ali and Amir Khan. We are very excited to have them. Another player who could surprise and raise some eyebrows is Mohammad Mohsin.

“We retained most of our key players and got Liam Dawson back in the Draft as well. Tom Banton is an exciting prospect and we were lucky to have the opening pick in that round. He had a very good Big Bash League season with Brisbane Heat. Another player we are looking forward to having is Liam Livingstone. Exciting times ahead!”

Peshawar Zalmi squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard (from 7 March) and Wahab Riaz
Diamond – Kamran Akmal, Tom Banton, Shoaib Malik and Carlos Brathwaite (till 7 March)
Gold – Darren Sammy, Imam-ul-Haq and Liam Dawson
Silver – Umar Amin, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Lewis Gregory and Adil Amin
Emerging – Amir Khan and Amir Ali
Supplementary – Liam Livingstone and Haider Ali

Nadeem Omar, the owner of the defending champions Quetta Gladiators, said: “The Quetta Gladiators squad is well balanced with T20 specialists both in batting and bowling departments. We did fairly well at the Draft with guys like Jason Roy and Ben Cutting joining the Gladiators though we couldn’t retain players like Sohail Tanvir and Rilee Rossouw. Fawad Ahmed getting picked up again was also a great plus.

“Our young and emerging players Aarish Ali Khan and Azam Khan are extremely talented and future prospects for Pakistan and I am sure they will not let us down.

“We are confident that we have a good combination, like last year. If we play to our potential, hopefully we would be the team with the silverware at the end of the HBL PSL 2020.”

Quetta Gladiators squad for HBL PSL 2020:

Platinum – Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain) and Jason Roy
Diamond – Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad and Ben Cutting
Gold – Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hasnain and Fawad Ahmed
Silver – Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir
Emerging – Arish Ali Khan and Azam Khan
Supplementary – Keemo Paul (from 7 March), Khurram Manzoor and Zahid Mehmood (till 7 March)
Click to expand...

From what I understand, teams have to play at least one emerging player in their 11. Given that QG already have Mohammad Nawaz as a platinum player, he will play all games. This means that the young lad Arish Khan, a slow leftie will miss out. But they can't play the other emerging player, Azam Khan, can they? This guy is Moin Khan's kid from what I understand. [MENTION=130419]shah_1[/MENTION] What do u think?
 
KingOfPakBreakfast said:
From what I understand, teams have to play at least one emerging player in their 11. Given that QG already have Mohammad Nawaz as a platinum player, he will play all games. This means that the young lad Arish Khan, a slow leftie will miss out. But they can't play the other emerging player, Azam Khan, can they? This guy is Moin Khan's kid from what I understand. [MENTION=130419]shah_1[/MENTION] What do u think?
Click to expand...

Yup

Azam Khan will play and quite unfair. He doesn't deserve it
 
Lahore, 13 February 2020:

The HBL Pakistan Super League has become synonymous with quality cricket and the six league franchises are supported by passionate fans who give it their all to cheer their respective teams.

Over the course of the four HBL PSL editions, the contests between Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars have attracted large crowds in the stadiums and massive viewership on TVs and fans look ahead to them with bated breath.

Karachi and Lahore are the two biggest cities of the country and are also known the world over as the traditional nurseries of Pakistan cricket.

After independence a vast majority of Pakistan’s cricket greats the likes of Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Saeed Anwar, Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan and Rashid Latif to name a few, learned their craft in their early teens on the streets of Karachi or the vast grounds of Lahore.

Even the present day stars like Sarfaraz Ahmed, Babar Azam and Shan Masood had their first introduction to cricket in these nurseries.

The two teams have so far failed in their quest for silverware as both have failed to make it to the finals. Lahore Qalandars, however, have never made it to the play-offs.

But with both teams set to play in front of their impassioned fans at the National Stadium Karachi and Qaddafi Stadium Lahore, respectively, in this season, their performances are expected to surge to a new level.

The two group-stage games will be played within five days and with the tickets already in high demand. These matches are expected to be played in front of jam-packed stadiums with vociferous support.

On what will be a Super Sunday, Lahore Qalandars will host Karachi Kings in a night game on 8 March at Pakistan’s home of cricket Gaddafi Stadium.

On 12 March, Karachi Kings will take the hosting responsibilities as the iconic National Stadium will stage the much-anticipated contest.

Past results (Played eight; Kings have won five, Qalandars have won two, one game tied):

Kings have so far enjoyed an upper-hand on Qalandars. They won both their encounters in the inaugural 2016 HBL PSL edition by seven wickets and 27 runs at the Dubai International Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Ground respectively.

In the 2017 edition, Qalandars recorded their first-ever win over Kings when they beat them by seven runs in a thriller played at Sharjah. Kings, however, extracted revenge by recording a last-ball win courtesy a six by West Indian Kieron Pollard off Aamer Yamin when the two teams clashed at the Dubai International Stadium in their second match of the season.

Kings were once again at the victorious end when they recorded a 27-run win at the Dubai International Stadium in the first match between the two sides of the HBL PSL 2018 edition.

The two sides played a spellbinding thriller in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium (the second match between the two teams of the 2018 season) which was won by the Qalandars, courtesy a sensational Super Over by Sunil Narine.

The match had ended in a tie following a dramatic last ball by Usman Shinwari which was declared a no-ball for overstepping with Qalandars needing three runs for a win.

Qalandars recorded a 22-run win in the first match of the HBL PSL 2019 season played at the Dubai International Stadium.

Kings then settled scores for the season with a five-wicket win when the two sides clashed once again in Dubai.

Major players in the two squads for HBL PSL 2020 season:

Kings have assembled an explosive batting line-up for HBL PSL 2020 season with the ICC top-ranked batsman Babar Azam set to lead the batting charge along with England’s Alex Hales, South African Cameron Delport and Sharjeel Khan.

Babar, Hales, Sharjeel and Delport provide arguably the most explosive top-order in the season, if they come off, Kings would look to post 200-run totals in the season.

Delport smashed a scintillating 117 off 60 balls against Qalandars last season while representing United at the National Stadium, and would look to repeat the dose at his new franchise’s home turf.

The Kings top-order though would be challenged by Qalandars’ pacy left-armers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shinwari, who has moved to the Lahore side for this season. Pakistan’s new pace sensation Haris Rauf would also aim to mark his presence against the Kings top-order especially his T20I captain Babar.

On the other hand, Qalandars batsmen Chris Lynn, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Salman Butt, and Ben Dunk are likely to be tested by Kings formidable bowling attack led by Mohammad Amir.

The left-armer will have England’s right-arm-pacer Chris Jordan and New Zealand’s left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan for company backed by the experienced Umaid Asif.

Left-arm-spinners Imad Wasim and the last season wonder kid Umar Khan provide further depth to the Kings bowling line-up which will aim to keep the Qalandars batsmen in check on the batting friendly tracks of Gaddafi Stadium and National Stadium.

Despite their less than satisfactory results in the first four seasons and the lack of silverware, both Kings and Qalandars have a huge fan base and some die-hard fans who would undoubtedly spur the two sides to greater things especially on their home turfs.

When following the HBL PSL, Kings v Qalandars rivalry is one that no cricket fan can afford to miss.

Squads:

Karachi Kings:

Platinum – Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir and Alex Hales

Diamond – Imad Wasim (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed and Chris Jordan

Gold – Aamir Yamin, Sharjeel Khan and Cameron Delport

Silver - Usama Mir, Mohammad Rizwan, Umaid Asif, Chadwick Walton and Ali Khan

Emerging – Umer Khan and Arshad Iqbal

Supplementary – Mitch McClenaghan and Awais Zia



Lahore Qalandars:

Platinum – Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Chris Lynn

Diamond – Shaheen Afridi, David Wiese and Usman Shinwari

Gold – Haris Rauf, Sohail Akhtar (captain) and Samit Patel

Silver – Salman Butt, Seekkuge Prsanna, Ben Dunk, Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali

Emerging – Mohammad Faizan

Supplementary – Dane Vilas, Dilbar Hussain
 
United v Sultans, a fascinating HBL PSL battle

• The two teams face-off on 22 February and 8 March i1n Lahore and Rawalpindi

Lahore, 14 February 2020:

The HBL Pakistan Super League has provided rich cricketing entertainment to fans in the last four seasons.

It began with five franchises in 2016 and Multan Sultans – who represent the city of Saints – joined the T20 league in 2018.

Islamabad United, representing the federal capital, boast two HBL PSL titles, which they bagged in the inaugural edition in 2016 and in 2018.

Sultans, in their two outings, to date, have not been able to make it to the play-off stage. They, however, have provided some real on the field fireworks.

The Shan Masood-led unit have had some thrilling matches and moments with various opponents especially the two-time champions Islamabad United, who will be captained by Shadab Khan this season.

Past results (Played four; United have won two, Sultans have won two):

United had the upper hand against Sultans in the HBL PSL 2018 season. United won both matches between the two sides on their way to the ultimate glory in the final against Peshawar Zalmi in front of a typically loud and impassioned National Stadium on 25 March.

The two teams first met on 25 February at the Dubai International Stadium. Sultans were rolled over for a paltry 113 in 19.5 overs after United had asked them to bat first.

United went past the target for the loss of five wickets in 17.4 overs. Left-handed Hussain Talat guided United home with an unbeaten 48 off 34 balls - his innings included four fours and three sixes and he was adjudged man-of-the-match for his match winning effort.

United then won a high-scoring encounter played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 13 March. Batting first, the victors posted 185 for four on the back of a whirlwind 58 off 36 balls by Luke Ronchi (six fours, three sixes) and a scintillating 46 off 33 balls by Alex Hales. Hussain continued his good form against Sultans, scoring 36 off 21 balls.

Kieron Pollard fought hard for Sultans with a smashing 73 off 47 balls. His innings was studded with five fours and six sixes, but he failed to take his side past the target as United recording a comfortable 33-run win at the end.

Sultans turned the tables on United in the 2019 season by winning both round matches by five and six wickets respectively.

The first match between the two sides of the HBL PSL 2019 season was staged at the Dubai International Stadium on 16 February.

Ronchi got United off to a flying start with 51 off 33 balls. His dismissal triggered a collapse as United stuttered to 125 for seven in 20 overs.

Captain Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten 31 helped Sultans surpass the target in the penultimate over of the match for the loss of five wickets.

The return clash was also played at the Dubai International Stadium. The 26 February match was won by Sultans by six wickets as they overhauled the 122-run target for the loss of six wickets with 11 balls to spare. Daniel Christian’s all-round man-of-the-match award winning effort (three wickets and 16 not out) helped Sultans record a comfortable win.

Major players in the two squads for HBL PSL 2020 season:

Two-time champions United have once again assembled a formidable squad that is a real contender for silverware at the HBL PSL 2020. But Sultans too have a very strong combination which will fight United toe-to-toe when the two sides clash in their two group fixtures.

Their first match is scheduled to take place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on 22 February. The two teams then play at United’s home ground, Pindi Cricket Stadium, in Rawalpindi on 8 March. The battles to look for would be between United’s formidable top-order and Sultans bowling line-up.

United’s batting prowess at the top is led by Ronchi, England’s T20 specialist Dawid Malan (former HBL PSL winner with Peshawar Zalmi), South African Colin Ingram (former Karachi Kings player), New Zealand’s Colin Munro (former Karachi Kings player) and the explosive upcoming left-handed opener Rizwan Hussain.

Sultans’ bowling attack on the other end includes real experience and pedigree in Junaid Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, Shahid Afridi and Imran Tahir. The bowling attack that has tons of T20 international and franchise experience around the world is backed by the raw pace of Mohammad Ilyas (second season for Sultans) and all-rounder Bilawal Bhatti.

Conversely, United also have a richly experienced and capable bowling attack that is led by their captain and leg-spinner Shadab Khan. Shadab will also have the services of South African fast bowling legend Dale Steyn who is set to make his first HBL PSL appearance.

United have to their disposal all-rounder Faheem Ashraf who has been one of the most successful bowlers in the tournament. His 18-wicket haul was one of the major reasons for United’s 2018 title triumph. Pakistan T20 Internationals Musa Khan and Rumman Raees provide pace and guile to the attack.

Sultans though would aim to counter the United bowlers with their own power-packed batting line-up, especially the top-order. The ever-improving Shan Masood leads the Sultans both as captain and opener and he will have England’s explosive James Vince (ICC Cricket World Cup winner with England’s 2019 side) and South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw (HBL PSL winner with Quetta Gladiators).

The Wild Card Platinum category pick Zeeshan Ashraf has the capability of hitting some big sixes at the top of the innings too. The Best Batsman of the National T20 2019-20 2nd XI tournament can be a surprise package for Sultans.

The ever green Afridi can also be called-up anytime to provide fireworks with the bat depending on the situation of the match.

With the spoils equally shared between the two teams so far, the HBL PSL 2020 has the potential of adding more thrilling moments in the United v Sultans rivalry.

All followers should keep an eye on this rivalry, which possesses all the potential to shape into big.

Squads:

Islamabad United:

Platinum – Shadab Khan (captain), Dale Steyn and Colin Ingram
Diamond – Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali and Colin Munro
Gold – Luke Ronchi, Hussain Talat and Rumman Raees
Silver – Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Rizwan Hussain, Zafar Gohar and Phil Salt
Emerging – Akif Javed and Ahmed Safi Abdullah
Supplementary – Saif Badar and Dawid Malan (Silver)

Multan Sultans:

Platinum – Mohammad Irfan, Moeen Ali and Rilee Rossouw
Diamond – Shahid Afridi, Zeeshan Ashraf and Ravi Bopara
Gold – James Vince, Junaid Khan and Sohail Tanvir
Silver – Ali Shafiq, Shan Masood (captain), Khushdil Shah, Usman Qadir, Fabian Allen (from 7 March) and Wayne Madesn (till 7 March)
Emerging – Mohammad Ilyas and Rohail Nazir
Supplementary – Imran Tahir and Bilawal Bhatti
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will be performing at the opening ceremony of Pakistan Super League 2020. It will be the second time that he has been invited to perform at the PSL opening ceremony having performed in 2017 at PSL 2 in the UAE <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL5?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1228341524221566976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Gladiators v Zalmi, a rivalry ready to light up HBL PSL 2020

• Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi come face to face on 22 February and 5 March in Karachi and Rawalpindi.

Lahore, 15 February 2020:

Since its advent the HBL Pakistan Super League has brought forward some riveting on-field rivalries and contests between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi have kept the fans at the edge of their seats.

Gladiators and Zalmi are the two most successful teams in the history of HBL PSL with success percentages of 61.90 and 58.69, respectively, and both the teams have bagged an HBL PSL title once.

After two nail-biting play-offs between them, they faced-off in the 2017 edition’s final, which was played at Pakistan’s home of cricket, Qaddafi Stadium, and was the first HBL PSL match on the Pakistan soil. Peshawar Zalmi, captained by Darren Sammy, were the comfortable winners in that match by 58 runs.

Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Gladiators avenged the defeat last year as they secured an eight-wicket win over Zalmi in front of a rousing Karachi crowd at the National Stadium.

Both Gladiators and Zalmi have played three finals each and there has been no HBL PSL final in which either of the sides hasn’t featured.

Because of their brilliant record and star-power in the ranks, both teams enjoy massive fan following stretching across Pakistan and the two group-stage contests between them on 22 February in Karachi and 5 March in Rawalpindi are expected to fill the stadiums to their capacity.

Past results (matches 14; Gladiators have won eight; Zalmi have won five; one ended in no-result):

The two teams have produced some of the most epic battles in the play-off stages over the course of the four seasons.

The rivalry between these two sides kicked-off when they met in the first-ever Qualifier of the HBL PSL – in 2016 – when Gladiators beat Zalmi by one run to secure a berth in the final. Entering that contest the two sides had honours even as both had come out victorious once in the two group matches.

They met again in the 2017 edition’s Qualifier with the result eerily the same – Gladiators’ victory by one run.

Zalmi, three days later, got better of Karachi Kings in the second Eliminator to secure a berth in the final and subsequently secured their first-ever HBL PSL title by beating Gladiators.

The next season, they faced off in an Eliminator after Zalmi and Gladiators finished at third and fourth spots respectively. The margin of the result was the same – one run – as in the previous two editions’ Qualifiers, but this time Zalmi were at the winning end.

Similar to the 2017 edition, the two teams met four times in the 2019 edition. Gladiators secured a 10-run win in the Qualifier and four days later they beat Zalmi, this time by eight wickets, to secure their maiden HBL PSL title.

Major players in the two squads for the HBL PSL 2020 season:

With an aim to add another HBL PSL trophy in their cabinet, the two sides have assembled strong squads.

Peshawar Zalmi boast best performers of the HBL PSL in their side in the likes of Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz who have the most runs (1,286 in 47 matches) and the most wickets (65 in 45 matches) respectively. Zalmi’s batting unit is enhanced by the inclusion of Shoaib Malik - who has 2,309 runs in T20I cricket, the most for Pakistan – and Tom Banton, who on the back of prolific white-ball form made ODI and T20I debuts for England recently.

Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Imam-ul-Haq, who finished as the fifth-highest run-getter in the last edition with 341 runs including four half-centuries, form the core of Zalmi’s batting unit.

In the supplementary category Zalmi have included the exciting young opening batsman Haider Ali who represented Pakistan U19 in the recently concluded ICC U19 Cricket World Cup played in South Africa.

The bowling unit will be spearheaded by Wahab. Hasan Ali, who will make return to competitive cricket after recovering from injury, and left-armer Rahat Ali will further add depth to the pace-bowling.

Mohammad Mohsin is an exciting inclusion in the Zalmi line-up. The 26-year-old leggie took nine wickets at an average of 19.44 in the National T20 Cup in Faisalabad in October last year.

They also have in their ranks two exciting teenage bowlers, left-arm-spinner Aamir Ali and fast-bowler Amir Khan, both featured in Pakistan’s U19 World Cup side that finished third in South Africa.

Gladiators also have an equally exciting line-up with Shane Watson, who was the player-of-the-tournament in 2019, expected to deliver goods once again.

Jason Roy, one of the most successful white-ball top-order batsmen in international cricket, Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad and captain Sarfaraz Ahmed form the batting core.

In the bowling department all eyes will be on Naseem Shah, who will make his maiden HBL PSL appearance, and Mohammad Hasnain, who delivered the fastest ball of the previous edition and took three wickets for 30 runs in the final at Karachi’s National Stadium last year.

The two youngsters will have the support of left-arm quick Tymal Mills, while the spin-attack will be led by Mohammad Nawaz and Fawad Ahmed.

They also have an U19 rookie in their ranks. Karachi-born Aarish Ali Khan also represented Pakistan U19 in South Africa. He has the pedigree to make an impression as an emerging force this season.

With the HBL PSL being held in Pakistan for the first time, the excitement is at its peak and it continues to grow with every passing day. When these two sides come face-to-face, the fans are expected to be served with thrilling matches.

And, if history is any measure, they will be in the play-offs, with the matches expected to shatter nerves again especially if they are decided on the last ball.

Squads:

Peshawar Zalmi:

Platinum – Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard (from 7 March) and Wahab Riaz
Diamond – Kamran Akmal, Tom Banton, Shoaib Malik and Carlos Brathwaite (till 7 March)
Gold – Darren Sammy, Imam-ul-Haq and Liam Dawson
Silver – Umar Amin, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Lewis Gregory and Adil Amin
Emerging – Amir Khan and Amir Ali
Supplementary – Liam Livingstone and Haider Ali

Quetta Gladiators:

Platinum – Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain) and Jason Roy
Diamond – Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad and Ben Cutting
Gold – Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hasnain and Fawad Ahmed
Silver – Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir
Emerging – Arish Ali Khan and Azam Khan
Supplementary – Keemo Paul (from 7 March), Khurram Manzoor and Zahid Mehmood (till 7 March)
-ENDS-
 
HBL PSL to observe childhood and breast cancer awareness days

• Childhood Cancer Awareness Day to be observed on 22 February in the HBL PSL matches in Karachi and Lahore.

• Breast Cancer Awareness Day to be observed on 7 March in the HBL PSL matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

• “It is a humble contribution from the PCB in raising awareness against cancer, it is our collective responsibility to help the two causes as much as possible,” says Wasim Khan.

Lahore, 16 February 2020:

The HBL Pakistan Super League continues to make an impact on and off the field and like last year it is set to make another humble contribution in the fight against Childhood Cancer and Breast Cancer.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has joined hands with the Indus Hospital, Karachi, and Pink Ribbon Pakistan to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Day, respectively, during the fifth edition of the HBL PSL.

The Childhood Cancer Awareness Day will be observed on 22 February and the Breast Cancer Awareness Day will be marked on 7 March and on both occasions teams, match officials and commentators will be involved in the support of the two campaigns.

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “It is a humble contribution from the PCB in raising awareness against cancer; it is our collective responsibility to help the cause as much as possible. The PCB fully understands its corporate social responsibility and we are currently in partnerships both with the Shahid Afridi Foundation and the British Asian Trust and will continue to support genuine causes in various sectors across the country.

“Last year, both Childhood Cancer Awareness Day in Dubai and the Breast Cancer Awareness Day in Karachi were fully supported by the teams, match officials, commentators besides receiving the support of the fans. I am sure we will have their backing this year too and we are looking forward to 22 February and 7 March. We expect the media and fans to once again help us promote the initiative while spreading the message far and wide.”

Childhood Cancer Awareness Day:

The Childhood Cancer Awareness Day was first observed in the HBL PSL on 15 February 2019 in Dubai. The four participating teams Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators wore gold ribbons along with the match officials and commentators. The winning captains had shared their team shirts with a cancer patient.

For the HBL PSL 2020, the Childhood Cancer Awareness Day will be observed on Saturday, 22 February, in both Karachi and Lahore, the venues of the two league matches that day.

At the National Stadium Karachi, defending champions Quetta Gladiators take on former winners Peshawar Zalmi in a repeat of last year’s final. The day game will begin at 2pm.

Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will then host a match between two-time champions Islamabad United and Multan Sultans. The night match will begin at 7pm.

All four teams, match officials and match commentators at both venues will wear gold ribbons, synonymous with Childhood Cancer Awareness campaigns.

The stumps in use for both matches will also be branded in gold, while a cancer patient will be invited at the post-match presentation ceremonies of both matches where they will be presented a memorabilia signed shirt from the winning captains.

Childhood cancer awareness messages would be displayed on the digital screens placed at the two venues to create awareness about the disease aimed at educating the spectators.

Breast Cancer Awareness Day:

The Breast Cancer Awareness Day was observed on 11 March last year at the National Stadium. Multan Sultans, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi were the four teams that took the field in a double-header that day.

The teams along with match officials and commentators wore the pink ribbons in support of the Breast Cancer Awareness program.

For the HBL PSL 2020, the Breast Cancer Awareness Day will be observed on 7 March in both Rawalpindi and Lahore, venues of the two league matches that day.

At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Islamabad United will take on Peshawar Zalmi in what is expected to be an absorbing battle between the two former champions. The day game will begin at 2pm.
Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will then host a match between Lahore Qalandars, the home side, and Gladiators in a contest which will be played under lights.

All four teams, match officials and match commentators at both venues will wear pink ribbons, synonymous with Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns.

The stumps in use for both matches will also be branded pink. Breast cancer awareness messages would be displayed on the digital screens placed at the two venues for creating awareness and sharing valuable information about the disease
 
Young Pakistan talent to watch out at HBL PSL 2020


Lahore, 16 February 2020:

The HBL Pakistan Super League has historically been a major platform for Pakistan’s emerging players as the limelight, the attention and the huge number of fans and followers of the league provide the perfect breeding ground for players looking to make their presence felt.

From Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman to Shaheen Shah Afridi, Faheem Ashraf and Haris Rauf, the HBL PSL has catapulted careers of a number of players in the last four years.

Most of these players have gone onto establish themselves as international cricketers besides plying their trade in T20 leagues around the world.

The HBL PSL 2020 is set to throw more names in the ring as some exceptionally talented emerging and hitherto untested players have been drafted in the squads of each of the six franchises.

Here is a list including a player from each of the six franchises who can turn into a star by the time the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, holds the tournament final on 22 March.

While these players might not be in the Emerging category, they are yet to feature in the HBL PSL or have not been part of any team’s playing eleven. If played, they will be making their league debut this season.

Akif Javed –Islamabad United (Emerging):

Kohat-born 19-year-old left-arm-fast bowler Akif Javed has already made a big impression on the domestic T20 scene in only a handful of appearances.

Akif rose to prominence in the National T20 tournament played at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad last October.

Chosen to play for Balochistan, Akif proved his worth with his pacy deliveries and subtle change of pace that earned him nine wickets in seven matches as Balochistan surprised all by booking a place in the tournament final, where they were defeated by Northern.

Akif also represented the victorious Pakistan Emerging Team in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh last November.

In a short span of time Akif has earned the praise of bowling experts, Pakistan team management and former players.

The HBL PSL provides a perfect opportunity for Akif to make the cricketing world take notice of his talent. He will be led by Shadab, who used the United’s platform to establish himself as a Pakistan star with-in no time after his inaugural 2017 season.

Akif’s induction may well prove to be another #DimaghSe move by United!

Arshad Iqbal –Karachi Kings (Emerging):

Kings have inducted the promising right-arm-fast-bowler Arshad Iqbal. The 19-year-old Swabi-born Arshad represented Pakistan U19 in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018 where he claimed six wickets in five matches including a three wicket-haul against India in the semi-final.

Arshad has featured in one first-class, three List ‘A’ and seven T20 matches on the domestic circuit over the course of the last two years. He has collected a total of 19 wickets in these matches including 10 in T20s.

Arshad represented Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the National T20 Second XI tournament held at the National Stadium Karachi last October; he took two wickets in as many games in the tournament.

The right-armer earned valuable experience of the conditions and would be aiming to utilise the same when he gets an opportunity to don the Kings colours at the NSK during the HBL PSL 2020.

This season may yet prove to be the breakthrough year for Arshad as the strongly built bowler has the potential in him to progress far in his career. The HBL PSL 2020 is a platform he will be aiming to make full use of.

Dilbar Hussain – Lahore Qalandars (Silver):

Faisalabad-born 26-year-old fast-bowler Dilbar Hussain has made rapid progress after being discovered in the Lahore Qalandars Player Development Program two years ago. He was, subsequently, chosen for a tour of Australia with the Qalandars development squad.

Like Haris Rauf, Dilbar has gone on to represent Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in the 2019-20 season.

Dilbar, in fact, replaced Haris for a match (against Brisbane Heat) when the latter had to return home for national duty in the T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore last month.

He went on to dismiss legendary T20 batsman AB de Villiers in a four-over spell during his maiden T20 appearance.

Dilbar has been included in the supplementary category by Qalandars for the 2019-20 season.

The tournament provides a big opportunity for the right-armer to make his presence felt in front of Pakistan crowds across the four venues and he would surely be aiming to emulate Haris’ example and progress to the national team by impressing at the HBL PSL 2020.

Zeeshan Ashraf – Multan Sultans (Diamond):

Okara-born left-handed opener Zeeshan Ashraf stole the show at the HBL PSL 2020 Draft when Multan Sultans drafted him in their squad using the Wild Card pick which bumped-up his category to Diamond from Silver.

The 27-year-old pretty much earned his jackpot following a series of breath-taking performances in the domestic season for Southern Punjab.

The southpaw had a phenomenal run in the National T20 Second XI tournament. He started the tournament by smashing a scintillating 127 not out. He scored a total of 395 runs in seven innings, which also included three fifties. Zeeshan averaged 65.83 with a staggering 174.77 strike rate.

Zeeshan hit 23 sixes and 34 fours in the tournament as the opposition bowlers bore the assault of his audacious stroke play throughout the tournament.

At the backend of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament 2019-20, Zeeshan scored centuries in back-to-back matches for Southern Punjab which enhanced his reputation.

Both Zeeshan and Sultans would be hoping that the left-hander maintains his prolific form for the franchise. The opener can also keep wickets and his all-round skillset will lend further balance to his side.

A stellar HBL PSL 2020 for Zeeshan will certainly help the Sultans in their quest for silverware.

Haider Ali – Peshawar Zalmi (Supplementary):

Hailed by commentator Ian Bishop as the next Babar Azam, Haider Ali is another rising batting star who has made an impact at the junior and first-class level.

The Rawalpindi-born 19-year-old is an opening batsman with a wide array of shots. Haider has been a Pakistan U19 regular in recent years and featured in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 where he scored a half-century in Pakistan’s semi-final loss to India.

Haider scored 134 for Northern in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final against Central Punjab. He has accumulated 645 runs in the format at 49.61 after making his debut in the last domestic season.

Haider is a supplementary pick for Zalmi for the HBL PSL 2020, the former winners have a power-packed top-order including Kamran Akmal and Englishman Tom Banton.

In their presence Haider might have to wait for an opportunity but once he dons the kit for his franchise he has the potential of setting the cricket fields alight across Pakistan.

Aarish Ali Khan – Quetta Gladiators:

The 19-year-old Karachi born left-arm-spinner Aarish Ali Khan had a rewarding U19 season which saw him earn a place in the Pakistan U19 squad for the recently concluded ICC U19 Cricket World Cup played in South Africa.

In the National U19 One-Day tournament this season, Aarish took the most wickets (15 wickets in six matches). He is a wily spinner who maintains a nagging line and length. Aarish can also bowl with the new ball; he bowled with control and penetration in the Ramazan T20 tournaments across Karachi last year.

The Gladiators are expected to use Aarish as an attacking option during the HBL PSL 2020. If the left-armer lives up to the promise he has shown in the last year, he can leave a big impression in front of home crowds.

The defending champions have a potential star in their rankings and the Gladiators fans are going to keep a close eye on the spinner.
 
Jahangir Khan to bring HBL PSL 2020 trophy at National Stadium

• “It will be truly a remarkable moment for me and I am looking forward to the ceremony,” says the great Pakistani athlete

• “It is befitting that a sporting great like Jahangir Khan will bring the trophy to the ceremony to mark the momentous occasion,” says PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan

Karachi, 16 February 2020:

For what will be the first-ever trophy unveiling ceremony on the Pakistani soil, squash icon Jahangir Khan will bring the HBL PSL 2020 trophy at the National Stadium, Karachi, on Wednesday, 19 February, for its unveiling.

Jahangir, in an international-styled ceremony, will carry the silverware to the field of play and hand it over to the defending captain Sarfaraz Ahmed – of Quetta Gladiators – after which the brand new trophy will be unveiled by PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani in the presence of six franchise owners and captains.

Jahangir Khan said: “It will be truly a remarkable moment for me to play a role in the unveiling of the HBL PSL 2020 trophy. I am looking forward to the ceremony.

“The PCB has done a wonderful job in the resumption of top-flight cricket in the country and the success of the HBL PSL 2020 is going to send a profound message to the world that Pakistan is safe. I hope that with the success of this event, international teams belonging to other sports will also travel to Pakistan and this will spark a sporting culture which we have been missing over the last few decades.

“I wish the PCB all the best for what will be an exciting tournament. HBL PSL keeps every Pakistani glued to their TV sets and I will be following it keenly.”

For his extraordinary achievements in squash courts all over the world, Jahangir’s name has become synonymous to the game. The great Pakistani athlete holds a record for the longest winning streak for any sportsman with 555 consecutive wins over almost six years.

At the age of only 17, Jahangir, the six-time World Champion, became the youngest player to bag a British Open title.

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “It is befitting that a sporting great like Jahangir Khan will bring the trophy to the ceremony to mark the momentous occasion, which will see an entire HBL PSL season being held in Pakistan.

“I am thankful to Jahangir for becoming a part of the ceremony and providing the PCB the opportunity to honour a legend like him.

“The HBL PSL is where it belongs and I can feel the excitement amongst the fans, who have turned this into the biggest brand in Pakistan and one of the most watched T20 leagues around the world.”

The trophy, designed by Ottewill Silversmits, a U.K. based manufacturer, is studded with a three-dimensional star and a crescent on top, which represent Pakistan. The 65-centimetre-long trophy weighs eight kilogrammes and has multi-coloured enamel strips around it to encapsulate different colours of the vibrant nation.

From this season, the HBL PSL trophy will be perpetual and each year the winning team will have their name engraved on it.

The trophy unveiling ceremony will start around 3.30pm.
 
Why did PCB allocate so many PSL matches in Gaddafi stadium, Lahore?


It is the worst ground possible for T20 matches, curators can't do jack about it. Seeing MCC vs Lahore Qalandars match I'm expecting low scoring boring matches. Karachi should have got the most matches, then Rawalpindi. It's all do with quality of pitches.
 
350 artists to converge at National Stadium for HBL PSL 2020 opening ceremony

Karachi, 17 February 2020:

As many as 350 artists will perform in the opening ceremony of the HBL PSL 2020, which will be held at Karachi’s National Stadium on Thursday.

The metropolitan city is expected to be set alight as artists from different music genres – Sufi, pop, rock, bhangra and folk – will come together to perform at what will be the biggest opening ceremony in the history of the HBL PSL.

Thousands of fans in the stadium will be on the edge of their seats and millions around the globe will be glued to their television sets as world renowned artists like Abrar-ul-Haq, Aima Baig, Abu Mohammad, Fareed Ayaz, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sajjad Ali, Sanam Marvi and rock band Soch will embellish the ceremony with their breath-taking performances, while Ali Azmat, Arif Lohar, Haroon and Asim Azhar will perform HBL PSL 2020’s anthem Tayyar Hain.

The glittery ceremony, which will be held before the opening match of the tournament between defending champions Quetta Gladiators and two-time champion Islamabad United, will also include riveting acts and a spectacular fireworks show.

PCB Director – Commercial, Babar Hamid, said: “It is only befitting that a grand and glamorous opening ceremony is held to welcome Pakistan’s very own HBL PSL in the country. We have brought together all the top artists in the country to set the tone of what will be an epic tournament.”

The ceremony, which will be approximately an hour long, will kick-off at 6.45pm.

The toss for the first match will be held at 8.30pm, while the much-anticipated first ball of the HBL PSL 2020 will be delivered at 9pm.
 
HBL PSL 2020 to carry total prize money of US$1million

Karachi, 18 February 2020:

HBL Pakistan Super League 2020, the biggest cricket spectacle in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, will carry a total prize money of US$1million, it was announced today.

The winners of the 22 March final under Gaddafi Stadium lights will collect a cheque of U$500K along with a glittering and brand new trophy, while the runner-up will receive a cheque of US$200K.

In addition to the above, there will be number of other cash awards, including U$4,500 each to all the 34 player of the matches. Furthermore, US$80K will be equally distributed to player of the tournament, best batsman, best bowler and Spirit of Cricket.

The remaining amount will be distributed for other match-related awards like best catch, best run-out and most sixes.

The 34-match 32-day HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 will be the biggest cricket extravaganza to take place in Pakistan and first since the six-team Asia Cup 2008. Twelve years ago, the then four Test playing countries were joined by the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong in a 13-match tournament in Karachi and Lahore. Sri Lanka had defeated India in the final at the National Stadium by 100 runs.

Prior to this tournament, Pakistan had staged the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 1987 and 1996. In 1987, Pakistan had hosted 10 matches at seven venues, while 16 matches were played at six venues in 1996.

Although a domestic tournament, the six-team HBL Pakistan Super League will be held across four venues with Karachi staging nine, Lahore 14, Rawalpindi eight and Multan three.

The opening match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 will be held between defending champions Quetta Gladiators and two-time former winners Islamabad United at the National Stadium and will commence at 9pm following an attractive opening ceremony, which will begin at 6.45pm.
 
Head coaches identify their potential star performers for the HBL PSL 2020

Karachi, 18 February 2020:

With only two days to go to the start of the HBL PSL 2020, the six teams have their preparations in full swing with an eye on the glittering HBL PSL 2020 trophy.

The first two matches of the season will be played at the National Stadium Karachi followed by the first match in Lahore. Defending champions Quetta Gladiators, losing finalists Peshawar Zalmi, two-time champions Islamabad United and Karachi Kings are based in Karachi. Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans are practicing in Lahore.

The coaches of the six teams are busy working out team combinations and strategy ahead of the start of the tournament, they have each picked performers who can make a big impact for their side in the tournament.

Quetta Gladiators, Moin Khan: Coach of the defending champions Moin Khan who has been involved with the Quetta Gladiators since the start of the HBL PSL, he feels the tournament is a great platform for youngsters and they should do their best and make full use of the opportunities that come their way.

Moin has identified fast bowlers Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah as his trump cards along with young batsman Azam Khan.

Moin Khan said: “While it is very difficult to identify three players out of our squad since all players are capable, I would say all three; Hasnain, Naseem and Azam have the potential to turn a game on its head with their performances.

“Hasnain and Naseem have both tasted success at the international level, their pace will be vital to our plans and they can rattle the opposition batsmen.

“Likewise, Azam is a talented player; he is a big-hitter and has tremendous potential. The way he is practicing and working hard on the game, he can make a big impact when he gets the opportunity to play.”

Peshawar Zalmi, Mohammad Akram: Like Moin, Mohammad Akram is also a part of the Peshawar Zalmi management since the start of the HBL PSL. Akram’s strategy and planning have remained vital to Zalmi’s success in the league. Akram has identified several players who he thinks hold the key to Zalmi’s shot at the title.

Mohammad Akram said: Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz have been retained due to their outstanding record for Zalmi; they are our proven match winners. England’s Tom Banton is also a very exciting pick for us given his recent performances in the T20 circuit around the world.

“Our youngsters Mohammad Mohsin and Haider Ali are also a part of the squad and have great potential and ability.”

Mohsin and Haider were part of the emerging team that won the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup last year, Haider also represented Pakistan in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup played in South Africa last month.

Karachi Kings, Dean Jones: Jones who is in his first year with Karachi Kings after having previously coached Islamabad United to two titles has pinned hopes on four local players for a big impact in this year’s HBL PSL. These included Awais Zia, Arshad Iqbal, Umar Khan and Usama Mir.

Dean Jones said: “Awais is a very exciting batsman with a good technique and base, his batting will be crucial for us when he finds a spot in the eleven. Likewise, I am very impressed by Arshad, Umar and Usama who are all talented and capable bowlers.

“The HBL PSL is a big platform for youngsters and I hope these players make the most of it. Umar, I feel should be regularly playing first-class cricket too, he is one bowler who has a lot of potential.”

Multan Sultans, Andy Flower: Multan Sultans head coach Andy Flower is working in the HBL PSL for the second time, he worked with Peshawar Zalmi in the inaugural HBL PSL season (2016). Flower is looking forward to his stint with the Sultans as he feels he has a very capable squad under his belt.

Flower thinks Rohail Nazir and Mohammad Ilyas are two young potential match winners in the squad who have it in them to make their presence felt in the HBL PSL.

Andy Flower said: “Rohail batted very well in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup semi-final against India, he would learn a great deal by playing the HBL PSL especially with foreign stars in the tournament. Ilyas likewise has a lot of potential; he has all the attributes of fast bowling. He can bowl a very good yorker, out swing and slower ball. I have full trust in his abilities.”

Lahore Qalandars Aaqib Javed: Lahore Qalandars coach Aaqib Javed feels Qalandars selections after the Draft were criticised due to their reliance on younger players. Aaqib though has full confidence in the abilities of the squad that Qalandars have assembled for HBL PSL 2020.

Aaqib Javed said: “Other than Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman and Chris Lynn players like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are the players who are our match winners. While our squad is balanced and we have a great combination, these players are the ones who can turn it around big time for us. I feel we can turn the tables this time around.

“Both Haris and Shaheen have the experience of Pakistani pitches and I am sure they will bring it in use across all four HBL PSL venues.”

Islamabad United Misbah-ul-Haq: Misbah has full trust in the abilities of his entire squad assembled for the HBL PSL 2020. The seasoned campaigner who led United to the title in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2016 knows the United squad inside out after also having been a part of the squad when it won the title for the second time in 2018.

Misbah returns to the team after spending the last season with Peshawar Zalmi in the role of Mentor-Player.

Misbah-ul-Haq said: “We have won two titles in the past; we have a balanced squad full of exciting talent. In Luke Ronchi and Asif Ali we have two players who can play match winning innings for us. Meanwhile, Colin Ingram, Colin Munro and Dale Steyn will represent the franchise for the first time, we all know their cricketing abilities and world class stature.

“Steyn’s presence especially will help the fast bowlers in our squad hence he will be an extremely valuable member of the squad for us.”
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former West Indian fast bowler Curtly Ambrose and former Australian Umpire Simon Taufel will be in Pakistan as guests during the upcoming Pakistan Super League and will watch some matches during the tournament <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL5?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL5</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1229777922308919300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Abdullah719 said:
Head coaches identify their potential star performers for the HBL PSL 2020

Karachi, 18 February 2020:

With only two days to go to the start of the HBL PSL 2020, the six teams have their preparations in full swing with an eye on the glittering HBL PSL 2020 trophy.

The first two matches of the season will be played at the National Stadium Karachi followed by the first match in Lahore. Defending champions Quetta Gladiators, losing finalists Peshawar Zalmi, two-time champions Islamabad United and Karachi Kings are based in Karachi. Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans are practicing in Lahore.

The coaches of the six teams are busy working out team combinations and strategy ahead of the start of the tournament, they have each picked performers who can make a big impact for their side in the tournament.

Quetta Gladiators, Moin Khan: Coach of the defending champions Moin Khan who has been involved with the Quetta Gladiators since the start of the HBL PSL, he feels the tournament is a great platform for youngsters and they should do their best and make full use of the opportunities that come their way.

Moin has identified fast bowlers Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah as his trump cards along with young batsman Azam Khan.

Moin Khan said: “While it is very difficult to identify three players out of our squad since all players are capable, I would say all three; Hasnain, Naseem and Azam have the potential to turn a game on its head with their performances.

“Hasnain and Naseem have both tasted success at the international level, their pace will be vital to our plans and they can rattle the opposition batsmen.

“Likewise, Azam is a talented player; he is a big-hitter and has tremendous potential. The way he is practicing and working hard on the game, he can make a big impact when he gets the opportunity to play.”

Peshawar Zalmi, Mohammad Akram: Like Moin, Mohammad Akram is also a part of the Peshawar Zalmi management since the start of the HBL PSL. Akram’s strategy and planning have remained vital to Zalmi’s success in the league. Akram has identified several players who he thinks hold the key to Zalmi’s shot at the title.

Mohammad Akram said: Kamran Akmal and Wahab Riaz have been retained due to their outstanding record for Zalmi; they are our proven match winners. England’s Tom Banton is also a very exciting pick for us given his recent performances in the T20 circuit around the world.

“Our youngsters Mohammad Mohsin and Haider Ali are also a part of the squad and have great potential and ability.”

Mohsin and Haider were part of the emerging team that won the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup last year, Haider also represented Pakistan in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup played in South Africa last month.

Karachi Kings, Dean Jones: Jones who is in his first year with Karachi Kings after having previously coached Islamabad United to two titles has pinned hopes on four local players for a big impact in this year’s HBL PSL. These included Awais Zia, Arshad Iqbal, Umar Khan and Usama Mir.

Dean Jones said: “Awais is a very exciting batsman with a good technique and base, his batting will be crucial for us when he finds a spot in the eleven. Likewise, I am very impressed by Arshad, Umar and Usama who are all talented and capable bowlers.

“The HBL PSL is a big platform for youngsters and I hope these players make the most of it. Umar, I feel should be regularly playing first-class cricket too, he is one bowler who has a lot of potential.”

Multan Sultans, Andy Flower: Multan Sultans head coach Andy Flower is working in the HBL PSL for the second time, he worked with Peshawar Zalmi in the inaugural HBL PSL season (2016). Flower is looking forward to his stint with the Sultans as he feels he has a very capable squad under his belt.

Flower thinks Rohail Nazir and Mohammad Ilyas are two young potential match winners in the squad who have it in them to make their presence felt in the HBL PSL.

Andy Flower said: “Rohail batted very well in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup semi-final against India, he would learn a great deal by playing the HBL PSL especially with foreign stars in the tournament. Ilyas likewise has a lot of potential; he has all the attributes of fast bowling. He can bowl a very good yorker, out swing and slower ball. I have full trust in his abilities.”

Lahore Qalandars Aaqib Javed: Lahore Qalandars coach Aaqib Javed feels Qalandars selections after the Draft were criticised due to their reliance on younger players. Aaqib though has full confidence in the abilities of the squad that Qalandars have assembled for HBL PSL 2020.

Aaqib Javed said: “Other than Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman and Chris Lynn players like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are the players who are our match winners. While our squad is balanced and we have a great combination, these players are the ones who can turn it around big time for us. I feel we can turn the tables this time around.

“Both Haris and Shaheen have the experience of Pakistani pitches and I am sure they will bring it in use across all four HBL PSL venues.”

Islamabad United Misbah-ul-Haq: Misbah has full trust in the abilities of his entire squad assembled for the HBL PSL 2020. The seasoned campaigner who led United to the title in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2016 knows the United squad inside out after also having been a part of the squad when it won the title for the second time in 2018.

Misbah returns to the team after spending the last season with Peshawar Zalmi in the role of Mentor-Player.

Misbah-ul-Haq said: “We have won two titles in the past; we have a balanced squad full of exciting talent. In Luke Ronchi and Asif Ali we have two players who can play match winning innings for us. Meanwhile, Colin Ingram, Colin Munro and Dale Steyn will represent the franchise for the first time, we all know their cricketing abilities and world class stature.

“Steyn’s presence especially will help the fast bowlers in our squad hence he will be an extremely valuable member of the squad for us.”
Click to expand...

So Moin Khan is identifying his own Son Azam for success? where will the nepotism end:murali
 
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Tuesday said the holding of all the matches of Pakistan Super League in the country was a great success for Pakistan which has defeated menace of terrorism.

This he said while talking to media just after visiting National Stadium Karachi (NSK) to review the arrangements of 5th PSL matches starting from February 20.

He was accompanied by Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah, Advisor to CM Murtaza Wahab and Special Assistant to CM on Sport Bangul Khan Maher.

He said the law and order of Karachi had been improved wherein all activities including sports, literary, music and educational are thriving.

To a question, the chief minister said that in 2018 the condition of the National Stadium was not good, therefore his government renovated and repaired the stadium and made it a beautiful place to enjoy matches.

The NSK was one of the biggest stadiums in the World but its capacity was now falling shorter than the public requirement, therefore we will talk to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to enhance its sitting capacity, he said.

To another question, Syed Murad Ali Shah said that not only cricket but he was making efforts to revive hockey. Today, he met with Chairman of Pakistan Hockey Federation Brig (Retd) Mohammad Khalid Khokhar and discussed to organize Hockey League in October or November 2020.

He said that he has made some commitment for the Hockey League and his government would cooperate with the hockey federation.

Syed Murad Ali Shah congratulated the nation on winning Kabadi World Cup and applauded the Kabaddi players. The Kabaddi players must be honored for their victory.

The chief minister condemned the murder of Aziz Memon and expressed his condolence with the aggrieved family.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited National Stadium and reviewed security arrangements and visited command and control center.

The chief minister was briefed about security arrangements by DG Rangers Major General Umer Ahmed Bukhari.

The chief minister thanked Pakistan Rangers, Sindh Police, Divisional and District administration for making best arrangements for PSL matches

https://www.brecorder.com/2020/02/1...n-pakistan-great-success-of-country-cm-sindh/
 
Thirty-four matches. Thirty-two days. Exhilarating cricket-action on four Pakistani venues!

The much-anticipated HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 will kick-off from tomorrow, Thursday, with the first ball of the tournament scheduled to be bowled at 9pm.

At the opening match of the tournament, Quetta Gladiators will begin their title defence by taking on two-time champions Islamabad United at Karachi’s National Stadium.

On Friday, Karachi Kings will host Peshawar Zalmi at the National Stadium, while, in Lahore, at the Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan’s home of cricket, Lahore Qalandars will take on Multan Sultans.

The cricket-crazy nation will be served with thrilling encounters all over the country as all six captains aim for berths in the 22 March final at the Gaddafi Stadium, for a shot at the US$500,000, the winning prize money, and the brand new glittering trophy.

To date, Quetta Gladiators have been the most successful franchise with 61.90 win percentage. The next on the list are Peshawar Zalmi, the champions of the 2017 edition, with 58.69 win percentage.

Islamabad United, the champions of the inaugural and 2018 editions, have the third best win percentage with 57.95 and are the only team with two HBL PSL titles.

Karachi Kings’ win percentage of 42.86 is the best amongst the three franchises, who have lost more matches than they have won. Lahore Qalandars (30.55%) and Multan Sultans (36.84%), who entered the HBL PSL in its third edition in 2018, are the only two teams to have not made it beyond the group-stage till now and they will be hoping that this season brings a change in their fortunes.

This fifth edition of the HBL PSL marks the biggest spectacle of cricket in the country since the 2008 Asia Cup as Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi will host the tournament, which goes down as the first instance of an entire edition of the HBL PSL being held in its own country.

With the long wait for this moment about to end, the fans are eager to welcome their own HBL PSL by filling the stadiums to their capacities and the same excitement is found amongst the captains, who are looking forward to lead their franchises on Pakistani soil.

Three franchises will take the field with new captains this season after Pakistan internationals Shadab Khan and Shan Masood and hard-hitting batsman Sohail Akhtar were named captains of Islamabad United, Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars, respectively, while Imad Wasim (Karachi Kings), Darren Sammy (Peshawar Zalmi) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators) will continue in their roles.

Shadab Khan, the Islamabad United captain, said: “Our preparations are excellent for this edition. We have had a camp in Islamabad with the Pakistan players and now we are gearing up for the tournament with all of our players in Karachi.

“We have a great balance in our side right from the beginning of the HBL PSL with top Pakistan players forming the core of the team, which gives us room to rely on both our batting and bowling departments to win us matches.

“I am extremely excited for this edition as I am about to captain a franchise which has won the HBL PSL title twice and that also in front of my own people. I have never played a HBL PSL match in my hometown, Rawalpindi, so it is going to be a great experience to play there.”

Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim said: “I am expecting housefuls in all of the games as we are playing at our home and it should be a lot of fun.

“We are ready and I believe we have a side which will do well in this edition. We are a balanced side which can deliver in whichever situation we will find ourselves in.

“For me it is a great honour to be leading Karachi Kings and I look forward to leading the Kings in front of home crowds. We look forward to the love and support all across Pakistan.”

Lahore Qalandars captain Sohail Akhtar said: “I feel very blessed and honoured that I will be leading Lahore Qalandars in an edition, which is being held on the Pakistani soil.

“We have put together a perfect blend of senior players and those who have come out of our player development programme. Our preparations had begun for this season three months ago at our high performance centre.

“There’s a lot of excitement amongst the players to be playing in Lahore in their home conditions and we all are very hopeful that because of it this season will be very different from the last four.

“Though we have match-winners in both batting and bowling departments, I am very confident about our bowling this time around and I feel it is the best in the HBL PSL.”

Shan Masood, the captain of Multan Sultans, said: “We have been preparing very well. We have played scenario-based matches and practiced under lights as our first two matches are at night. Our match against the MCC will give us match practice and we will get to know our ideal combination. For our first match on 21 February we are Tayyar Hain!

“The most refreshing thing for me as a captain is that I have a very-well balanced side. We have fast bowlers and in the spinners we have a leg-spinner, a left-arm orthodox and an off-spinner. And, in batting we have flexible players who can switch on in any situation. If one of our departments is struggling, the other can come to its rescue.

“I am very happy that all the matches are being held in Pakistan and what gives me immense pleasure is the fact that the cities other than Lahore and Karachi are also hosting these matches. We are really excited to play our three matches in Multan.

“It is an honour and a challenge, to which I am looking forward to, for me to be leading my side in Pakistan. The conditions here in Pakistan support both batting and bowling. We will have high scores and more and more involvement of the fans with them coming to the stadiums and filling the stands. All over the world, players at home have better records than they have away and we had been missing that.”

Darren Sammy, the Peshawar Zalmi captain, said: “Peshawar Zalmi have been very consistent in the HBL PSL. We have always prepared hard for every edition and this time is no different. Guys have been working really hard on their skills and I can’t wait to see them execute it in the games. Playing with passion and never say die attitude has been the mantra of Zalmi.

“I always say batsmen win you matches, but bowlers win you tournaments. With the caliber of good pitches here in Pakistan the best bowling side will win the tournament.

“It is always a pleasure to lead Peshawar Zalmi. From the very first season we have developed that bond which makes us a family and makes us play for each other and it is always easier to be leading the team with the presence of experienced guys like Wahab [Riaz], Hasan [Ali], Kamran [Akmal] and [Shoaib] Malik who pass on the knowledge to the youngsters.

“This edition already has a different feeling to it as the entire tournament is being held in Pakistan. It is a massive step forward from making the time when the final of the 2017 edition was held in Lahore. It is an amazing feeling to see how quickly the people of Pakistan have gotten a chance to watch an entire tournament in their country.”

Sarfaraz Ahmed, the captain of the defending champions Quetta Gladiators, said: “The preparations have been going really well for us both in terms of training and the team-related activities. Every player is eager to contribute in the success of Quetta Gladiators.

“I’m really lucky that Quetta Gladiators squad is full of match winners both in batting and bowling departments and it is nice to have such a strong side.

“It would be really amazing to lead Quetta Gladiators in Pakistan because we can expect full house in each and every match and the atmosphere would be something which we haven’t experienced ever before with fanfare there for more than a month-long period.

“With the full edition of HBL PSL being played in Pakistan, it will inspire the whole generation to take up the game of cricket in their career as they will see stars playing in front of them.”

The opening match of the tournament will be preceded by a richly entertaining opening ceremony, which will begin at 6.45pm.
 
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Cricket's coming home: Pakistan hosts star-studded T20 league

Cricket-crazy fans in Pakistan will be able to enjoy the whole of their Twenty20 league on home soil for the first time when the star-studded fifth edition begins Thursday in Karachi.

The month-long Pakistan Super League (PSL) will see top internationals such as Dale Steyn of South Africa, Shane Watson and Chris Lynn of Australia, West Indian Carlos Brathwaite and England's Alex Hales and Jason Roy among 36 overseas players in six teams.

Matches will be shared between Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore after security concerns had caused most games in previous years to be played in the United Arab Emirates, with only the final stages of the last three editions being held at home.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani believes the willingness of overseas stars to sign up illustrates how security has improved in a country where the army has fought a militant insurgency for years.

"So many players touring Pakistan shows the confidence they have in playing in Pakistan," said Mani, who took over last year with the aim of bringing cricket home.

"For the fans, this will be a long-awaited opportunity to see their cricketing heroes live in action and reinforce their love for this great game after being left deprived."

A generation of Pakistan's youth had not watched top-flight cricket at home since a deadly attack on the Sri Lankan Test team's bus in 2009 prompted international sides to shun the country.

- 'A good message' -

Security improved enough by 2015 for limited-overs internationals to be hosted but Test cricket returned only in December after a decade's exile.

"It's important that it goes off well, for the future of Pakistan cricket," said former Australian batsman Dean Jones, who is the coach of Karachi Kings.

"All the big boys, who are here from overseas, must bring their countries here and play."

Since hosting Zimbabwe in 2015, Pakistan has provided teams with security normally reserved for visiting heads of state, with hundreds of police guarding stadiums and hotels and the PSL is no different.

Roads to stadiums will be blocked and fans will have to go through multiple security cordons.

Pakistan hosted only the tournament final in 2017, expanding to four matches in 2018 and eight a year ago.

"I am delighted to see the PSL fully staged in Pakistan," former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed told AFP.

"I welcome all the foreign players and hope they take a good message .. so that in the coming years we have more international teams coming."

Australia's limited overs leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed was born in Pakistan but fled to his adopted country in 2010 after Taliban threats.

"Hopefully it goes safe and sound to bring joys for the whole nation, and youngsters get inspired," said Ahmed, who will play for the Quetta Gladiators

Six teams -- Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalanders Lutan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators -- will play each other twice in a round-robin phase with the top four contesting play-offs beginning on March 17. The final will take place in Lahore on March 22.

https://sports.yahoo.com/crickets-c...-studded-t20-075553706--spt.html?guccounter=1
 
A promotional campaign by the title sponsor of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League has been suspended after viewers and social media users complained that the entire campaign was copied from an Indian company.

Naveed Haider, the marketing head of Habib Bank which has been the title sponsor of the PSL since its launch in 2016 said they were holding an inquiry into the matter.

“Yes it is correct that this has happened and we had to stop the PSL campaign because the entire campaign was copied from an Indian company,” Naveed Haider said.

The said campaign which went on air on national television was a rip off from the famous Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign run by Airtel.

Habib Bank has now stopped the campaign and apparently a new campaign is being prepared.

Haider said they were investigating the matter with the concerned agency which did the campaign and they would take action accordingly.

The PSL promotional campaign on the electronic media and on social media have always been very popular and followed by millions of cricket fans and the rip off came as a shock to the cricket fans and the Pakistan Cricket Board.

https://www.insidesport.co/psl-title-sponsor-suspends-campaign-with-copied-indian-content/
 
Haris rauf out from psl with ankle injury

On program score aatif rana announced haris rauf will not play some matches because of ankle injury salman irshad will replace him
 
Yes expected recovery is within 2-3 matches
 
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Lol, almost forgot about Dale Steyn :)))

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Meanwhile... Guess who's on their way to Pakistan? ✈🇵🇰 😍 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HBLPSLV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HBLPSLV</a> <a href="https://t.co/nFmvo1E2lM">pic.twitter.com/nFmvo1E2lM</a></p>— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) <a href="https://twitter.com/thePSLt20/status/1233405460042190854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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