The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the highly anticipated fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League which starts on February 20.
The 34 matches will be played in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. Of the 34 event matches, the National Stadium will stage nine matches while Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will play host to 14 matches.
Reigning champions Quetta Gladiators will open the event at the back of an opening ceremony at the National Stadium in Karachi when they will go toe to toe with two-time winners Islamabad United.
The National Stadium will also play host to the Qualifier between the top two sides, whereas the Gaddafi Stadium will be the venue of the two Eliminators and the final.
According to the event schedule, defending champions Quetta Gladiators will play three matches in Lahore, four in Karachi, one in Multan and two in Rawalpindi; while Peshawar Zalmi, the 2017 winners and the 2019 losing finalists, will be in action in one match each in Lahore and Multan, three in Karachi and five in Rawalpindi.
Islamabad United will play three matches in Lahore, two in Karachi and five in Rawalpindi; Karachi Kings will play two matches in Lahore, five in Karachi, one in Multan and two in Rawalpindi; Multan Sultans will play five matches in Lahore, one in Karachi, three in Multan and one in Rawalpindi; and Lahore Qalandars will play eight matches in Lahore and one each in Karachi and Rawalpindi.
PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani expressed his contentment over the league being played on home ground and said it would allow Pakistan to be recognised as a safe country.
"After bringing Test cricket back to Pakistan, hosting of the entire Pakistan Super League is our other major achievement. I never had any doubts it was Pakistan’s league and should be played in front of home crowds. We had made this commitment to the people of Pakistan at the end of last year’s event," he said.
"Pakistan Super League 2020 will feature 36 foreign stars. It was gratifying that 425 overseas players from 22 countries registered their interest in playing in the tournament. This shows the confidence that players throughout the world have in playing in Pakistan," Mani added,
HBL PSL 2020 Schedule
Event scheduleFebruary 20 – Opening ceremony to be followed by Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, National Stadium
February 21 – Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium
February 22 – Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, National Stadium; Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium
February 23 – Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium
February 26 – Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket Stadium
February 27 – Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium
February 28 – Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium; Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium
February 29 – Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium
March 1 – Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium
March 2 – Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium
March 3 – Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium
March 4 – Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium
March 5 – Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium
March 6 – Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium
March 7 – Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium
March 8 – Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium
March 10 – Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium
March 11 – Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium
March 12 – Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Stadium
March 13 – Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, National Stadium
March 14 – Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Stadium
March 15 – Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium; Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, National Stadium
March 17 – Qualifier (1 v 2), National Stadium
March 18 – Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), Gaddafi Stadium
March 20 – Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1), Gaddafi Stadium
March 22 – Final, Gaddafi Stadium
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