LAHORE - The HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 will explode into action today (Monday) with Multan Sultans, the winners of the 2021 edition, will take on title defenders Lahore Qalandars at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will also host the matches of the PSL 8, which promises to be as exciting as the last seven. Karachi’s National Bank Cricket Arena will play host to the second match of the tournament when the hosts, Karachi Kings, lock horns with Peshawar Zalmi.
This match and the tournament opener will begin at 20:00 with the toss at 19:30. Quetta Gladiators begin their campaign in Multan on February 15 and Islamabad United play their first match of the season on February 16 in Karachi. Action will move to northern half of the country from February 26 with Lahore and Rawalpindi hosting the latter part of the tournament.
Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan’s home of cricket, will host the four playoffs and the final, besides five league stage games and Rawalpindi will stage 11 matches. The winner of the March 19 final at the Gaddafi Stadium will not only lift the Supernova Trophy but will also collect a cheque of PKR120m, while the runners-up will receive a cheque of PKR48m.
The HBL PSL was conceived with the idea of providing platform to the young and emerging cricketers who can have a flavour of international cricket – by playing high-quality cricket under pressure environment –before graduating to the apex level. The league continues to deliver on that front as many players who shone in the HBL PSL went on to play international cricket. In a few years after the introduction of the league, Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy and emerged as one of the most successful and consistent T20 sides. It also paved way for the successful return of the international cricket in the country.
The first-ever HBL PSL match in Pakistan – the final of the 2017 edition in Lahore – brought World XI for a three-match T20I series before Sri Lanka played a solitary T20I in Lahore. The 2018 edition reopened the doors of international cricket for Karachi as the final between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi, after the two playoffs in Lahore, was followed by the West Indies’ tour of the city for three T2oIs.
The 2019 edition, when Karachi hosted eight matches, further boosted the confidence of international sides, and the 2020 edition, the first time Pakistan hosted the vtournament in its entirety, established Pakistan’s credentials as a destination that could host complete international tours. Before the PSL 8 action kicks off, the Pakistan Cricket Board, in a continuation of its tradition, has lined up a glittering opening ceremony.
The cricket fans in Multan and all around the world will see spectacular performances by different artists and one of the major attractions would be the performances of the singers of the HBL PSL 8 anthem - Abdullah Siddiqui, Asim Azhar, Faris Shafi and Shae Gill. The fans will also be treated to performances by the renowned music composer Sahir Ali Bagga and talented singer Aima Baig as the two add to the star-studded line-up, which will make the opening ceremony an unforgettable experience.
