Pakistan Super League - 6 (PSL) 2021

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HBL PSL 2021: ticket prices and spectator protocols confirmed


To encourage families to attend the marquee event, the PCB has reserved certain enclosures at the National Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium for families


Pakistan Cricket Board
16 February, 2021

PHOTO COURTESY: PSL


Following the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) decision to allow 20 per cent crowds to attend each match day of the HBL Pakistan Super League, the Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed ticket prices for 30 of the 34 matches, which will be played from 20 February to 16 March. Ticket denominations for the Qualifier, two Eliminators and the final, to be played from 18-22 March, will be announced closer to time.

Online sale of tickets will start on Wednesday at 1000 (Pakistan time) and fans can visit www.bookme.pk for not only purchasing match ticket but also selecting their preferred enclosure and choice of seat.

Fans can also call Bookme helpline (03137786888) to book their tickets for which CNIC number and ‘phone number will be mandatory. When the match ticket has been confirmed, the customer will be sent a token number on the registered ‘phone so that the customer can make the payment at the closest Jazzcash/Easypaisa shop. Upon payment, the customer will receive an e-ticket code along with a Quick Response (QR) Code, which the customer can use to print the ticket or show the SMS at the entry gate on match day.

To encourage families to attend the marquee event, the PCB has reserved certain enclosures at the National Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium for families.

At the National Stadium, enclosures reserved for the families are: Hanif Mohammad (VIP Enclosure), Wasim Akram (Premium Enclosure), Zaheer Abbas, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures (First-Class Enclosures), and Intikhab Alam Enclosure (General) while family enclosures at the Gaddafi Stadium include: Fazal Mahmood (VIP Enclosure), Saeed Anwar (Premier Enclosure), Abdul Qadir (First-Class Enclosure) and Nazar, Quaid, Zaheer Abbas and Majid Khan (General Enclosure).

For Saturday’s tournament opener between Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators, which will begin at 7pm, cost of VIP stands (Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad Enclosures) have been fixed at PKR5000, while price of the First-Class stands (Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan, Majid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures) have been kept at PKR4,000.

Similarly, price of Premium stands (Quaid, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan Enclosure) have been set at PKR3,000, while the General stand tickets (Wasim Bari, Mohammad Brothers and Intikhab Alam Enclosure) have been fixed at PKR2,000.


For Sunday’s double-header between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, and Islamabad United and Multan Sultans, which will start at 2pm and 7pm, respectively, cost of VIP stands (Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad Enclosures) have been fixed at PKR4,000, while price of the First-Class stands (Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan, Majid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures) have been kept at PKR3,000. Similarly, price of Premium stands (Quaid, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan Enclosure) have been set at PKR2,000, while the General stand tickets (Wasim Bari, Mohammad Brothers and Intikhab Alam Enclosure) have been fixed at PKR1,000.

For matches to take place from Monday-Wednesday, cost of VIP stands (Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad Enclosures) have been fixed at PKR3,000, while price of the First-Class stands (Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan, Majid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures) have been kept at PKR2,000. Similarly, price of Premium stands (Quaid, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan Enclosure) have been set at PKR1,000, while the General stand tickets (Wasim Bari, Mohammad Brothers and Intikhab Alam Enclosure) have been fixed at PKR500.

For the first match in Lahore on 10 March involving Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings, ticket prizes for the VIP stands (Imran Khan and Fazal Mahmood Enclosures) have been set for 3,000, followed by PKR2,000 for the First-Class Stands (Abdul Qadir and Sarfraz Nawaz Enclosures), PKR1,000 for Premium stands (A.H. Kardar, Rajas, Javed Miandad and Saeed Anwar Enclosures) and PKR500 for General stands (Inzamam ul Haq, Nazars, Quaid, Imtiaz Ahmed, Zaheer Abbas, Hanif Mohammad, Majid Khan, Saeed Ahmed Enclosures).

PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer: “On behalf of the PCB, I want to thank the Ministry of Health and the NCOC for their support and cooperation. Without their interest and facilitation, we would not have been able to invite the fans to our marquee event and be part of the entertainment.

“I am sure the fans will appreciate this encouragement from the NCOC and will abide strictly by the protocols, which, in turn, will strengthen our case to request for increased fan attendances for the later leg of the tournament.”


SOPs for spectators (as approved by the NCOC):



Personal hygiene

• Hand Hygiene through handwashing with soap and water for 20 seconds
• Use of hand gel with high percentages of alcohol (70%) or other appropriate product is an alternative
• Sneezing and coughing into tissues or the crook of one’s elbow – disposal and cleaning hands afterwards
• Avoid touching one’s face and nose
• Spitting is banned within the stadium
• Medical masks must be worn by everyone while in the stadium. Enough medical masks has been secured for the crowd to ensure risk-free environment for everyone in the stadium


Code of Conduct

• Wear a face covering before entering through the turnstiles, and continue to wear your face covering while seated in the stands. No mask, No entry
• Ensure you are aware of the gate of entrance in advance by asking members of the management team/security staff positioned at the main gates of the stadium
• Spectators must not attend if they experience any Covid-19 symptoms, are feeling unwell, or if they have been in close contact recently with anyone experiencing symptoms or who has tested positive
• If you develop symptoms while at the stadium, please notify the nearest member of management staff immediately. Rights of admission will be reserved by PCB
• At all times and in all parts of the ground, please observe social distancing and avoid close contact with others who are not in your support bubble
• You must remain in your seat at all times unless you have to use rest rooms or exit the stadium. In such cases, seek guidance from the ushers and Security Guards available in each stand
• When passing in the rows, please turn your backs if you must brush past other spectators, thereby avoiding face-to-face contact
• Maintain good hand hygiene – use the sanitizers provided and use toilet facilities where possible to wash your hands
• Please observe respiratory etiquette – always cover your mouth if needing to cough or sneeze


Toilet facilities

• A steward/care taker will be assigned at all times to monitor the flow of spectators and ensure that no more than three people use that facility at a given time
• Hand washing facilities will be cleaned and sanitised at regular intervals
• Provision of hand sanitizers will be carefully managed by designated staff.


Distance between seating

• Two seats will be left between two individuals or each group
• Group must only contain one household to ensure social distancing is in place
• A row between the successive rows shall be left vacant to ensure social distancing



Ticketing

• To be sold (CNIC Holders) to the families only for family exclusive stands and for General stands with individual seating
• Applicants must supply their contact details at Point of Sale to help with track and tracing.
• To be sold in advance only through online sale with helpline support through telephone.


Tickets to be printed at home with QR codes or delivered through cash on delivery mechanism.

• Ushers and Security Guards to ensure compliance in seating

 

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Star-studded PSL opening ceremony to be held at Karachi stadium on Saturday

 

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PSL announces commentary panel for sixth edition of tournament

• Zainab Abbas to continue with presenting duties
• Tariq Saeed and Sikander Bakht to do Urdu commentary
• The likes of JP Duminy, Pommie Mbangwa to feature as commentators

LAHORE: Former England captain-turned-commentator David Gower will be among a group of foreign commentators that will be part of the Pakistan Super League's commentary panel for the tournament that will kick off this week.

The commentary panel for the month-long event that starts at the National Stadium Karachi on Saturday, 20 February, was unveiled today by the PCB.

“Pakistani commentators synonymous with the league including Bazid Khan, Ramiz Raja, Sana Mir and Urooj Mumtaz will be doing bi-lingual commentary while renowned Urdu commentator Tariq Saeed and Sikandar Bakht will be part of the panel as Urdu commentators,” said the press release.

Apart from Gower other foreign commentators to join the league are Simon Doull, Pommie Mbangwa, JP Duminy, Danny Morrison, Dominic Cork, and Alan Wilkins.

However, the former England captain and Danny Morrision will only be part of the commentary panel for the Karachi leg of the tournament.

Gower will not be the only one appearing as a commentator for the first time. It will also be a first for Simon Doull and former South African all-rounder JP Duminy. The PCB said that Duminy and Mbangwa will join the commentary box for the second leg in Lahore.
The PCB said that the tournament will be produced in Full HD mode by the consortium of Blitz Advertising/Transgroup & NEP.

“The HBL PSL 6 will be produced with a 30 + camera setup, the production will be Full HD, while the majority of the lenses will be 4K for extra sharpness of the pictures,” said the press release.
The setup includes super slow motion cameras, ultra-motion, Spidercam with ‘Parvàz’, Hawkeye with all DRS enhancements, buggy-cam with player interview capability and drone camera among others, the statement added.

 

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All set for Pakistan Super League 2021

Karachi Kings will defend the title while the runners-up Lahore Qalandars will enter the grounds with more vigour, this time to win the maiden PSL trophy

https://nation.com.pk/blogger/muhammad-yashal-mazhar
Muhammad Yashal Mazhar

February 17, 2021


The HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a professional Twenty20 (T20) Cricket League which was inaugurated on 9 September 2015 with a total number of five teams in the beginning whereas currently the number has exceeded to six teams.


The sixth season of the PSL will soon roll into action from February 20 in Karachi, with a splendid grand opening ceremony to be broadcasted live and reciprocate the heart warming enthusiasm for cricket across the nation. Unfortunately, the International cricket had come to pause in Pakistan of 2009 after Sri Lankan cricket team got attacked by terrorists in Lahore but its revival, for cricket fans now is none less than a national festival.

Due to the dismal security issues, the inauguration of PSL was carried out in UAE as foreign players refused to play in Pakistan and it was then played at the neutral venue but the final match of PSL 2 was played in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The PCB high-ups then gradually brought the PSL in Pakistan and this opened the doors for entire PSL 5 which to be held in the country (although in parts due to Covid-19 pandemic) and overall remained successful.

Now the PSL 6 is soon going to be played in Pakistan. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, all matches have been scheduled in only two cities - Karachi and Lahore. Karachi Kings will defend the title while the runners-up Lahore Qalandars will enter the grounds with more vigour, this time to win the maiden PSL trophy.

The PCB has announced a list of 25 players for the platinum category. All franchise owners have picked players of their choice in accordance with coaches. Chris Gayle, Alex Hales, Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Colin Ingram are the players which might thrill the ground with their performances.

The national players will also be in action with foreign players in the ground. The national and international players will make the games more interesting and enthralling. In PSL 5, Ben Dunk was the only player who remained the centre of attention during the whole event, for his batting and chewing gum but Covid-19 halted the league including knockout and final and got suspended, later on played in November without spectators.

Moreover, the good news for cricket fans was that 20 percent fans were allowed to watch each match to be played in both the cities following the strict SOPs set by the government, in order to make the event a success. Around 7,500 spectators will be allowed access inside the National Stadium in Karachi per match day and nearly 5,500 will be able to attend each match day at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. It will add to the excitement of the PSL as well as players, who will really enjoy the great games. The online sale of PSL tickets have been started today ( on Wednesday) and tickets for the first day match were sold out in just 3 hours.

All the matches will be played following strict SOPs while the players and teams will be given high-level security by Pakistan government. The security agencies played a vital role through out season 5 and surely will play pivotal role in the upcoming season of PSL 6. Special measures to ensure not only citizen's facilitations in terms of security and flow of traffic but also the perseverance of zeal and zest during the event by the government of the country are the need of the hour.

 

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Shadab highlights importance of workload management

The leg-spinner praised pacer Hasan Ali and his never give up attitude

Zubair Nazeer Khan
17 February, 2021

Islamabad United’s captain Shadab Khan, while talking at a virtual press conference on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of workload management by stating that some key players who have been playing for a while recently will be looked after according to the situation.

The leg-spinner praised pacer Hasan Ali and his never give up attitude while claiming that the fiery cricketer will boost the confidence of the entire team.

“It is a good sign for us as a side to have a cricketer such as Hasan Ali who has a never give up attitude. He is in great form and will pick up our whole team. A player like that boosts the confidence of the whole side. We will try to manage his workload as well according to the situation. We also have Faheem Ashraf in mind as far as workload management is concerned because he has been playing a lot for Pakistan as well,” Shadab said.

The 22-year-old believed that Islamabad United’s squad comprised of players who were enjoying a good run-of-form which would help them succeed in the upcoming tournament.

“The best thing is that we have a combination of players who have been playing consistently and are in good knick. This is always a good sign for a team. The national team players are fresh off a T20 series while the overseas players are coming directly from the BBL or T10 League. All the players seem to be in good form which bodes well for our side,” he said.

“We tried to not repeat the mistakes of the past by making a combination that we wanted and we succeeded in doing so. We thought of three to four combinations during the draft. We will try to do better this time around,” he added.

Shadab revealed that he planned on batting in the top-order while claiming that he was working at the mental aspect of bouncing back after his recent injuries.

“I haven’t decided a number but I will try to bat in the top-order. I will try to bat wherever the team needs me and to take the side out of trouble if it finds itself in a tricky spot. As an all-rounder, you have to be ready for any situation. I don’t have any issues. When you recover from an injury you need some time to mentally come back. The more I practice the more I will be comfortable with my body and bounce back,” he concluded.

 

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Pakistan Super League 6
Team Profile:
Lahore Qalandars aiming for ultimate glory

Khalid H. Khan
February 18, 2021

Their team composition looks formidable, particularly on the bowling front with the prized acquisition of star Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan. — PSL


KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars, arguably the most favourite HBL Pakistan Super League franchise for the cricketing masses, had to suffer four years of heartbreak on the trot since the start of the T20 extravaganza as each season they were plummeted in the last place.

However, the year 2020 changed everything for the beleaguered Qalandars who not just qualified for the playoffs but also managed to go all the way to the final where they misread the pitch conditions at the National Stadium and lost after the Covid-19 pandemic cruelly denied them the opportunity of playing the decider in their hometown, Lahore.

Despite that setback, Qalandars were not disgraced since it was a massive turnaround for the franchise, which is owned by Fawad Rana, who is a very popular figure and had been through countless periods of tribulations and ecstasy all these years.

There is no denying that Lahore Qalandars will be one of the top contenders for the HBL PSL 6 title and would surely love to make the playoffs — and of course, the final — for the second straight season and perhaps bask themselves in the ultimate glory in front of ardent supporters at the Gaddafi Stadium on March 22.

Their team composition looks formidable, particularly on the bowling front with the prized acquisition of star Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan. The top-ranked T20 bowler in the world makes the Qalandars’ bowling even more threatening this time since he would be operating alongside Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had been announced as the vice-captain, and speedster Haris Rauf with Dilbar Hussain also in the support cast.

Sohail Akhtar may lack the charisma his all rival captains in the HBL PSL 6 enjoy but his quiet personally is just what Lahore Qalandars require with a star-studded squad that features the prolific Mohammad Hafeez — who will be heading into the tournament after enjoying a purple patch with the bat in Twenty20 Internationals last year — Fakhar Zaman and Ben Dunk, the dashing wicket-keeper/batsman from Australia.


Squad:

Sohail Akhtar (captain), Shaheen Shah Afridi (vice-captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Rashid Khan, Fakhar Zaman, David Wiese Haris Rauf, Ben Dunk, Samit Patel, Dilbar Hussain, Salman Ali Agha, Tom Abell, Zeeshan Ashraf, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Zaid Alam, Maaz Khan, Joe Denly, Ahmed Daniyal

Backroom staff:

Aaqib Javed (head coach), Mansoor Rana (batting coach), Waqas Ahmed (bowling coach), Shahzad Butt (fielding coach), Nabeel Edgar Pace (analyst), Paul Khoury (physio), Moeen Nadeem (trainer), Derek Sedgman (masseur), Simon Paul (masseur), Malang Ali (masseur), Sameen Rana (media manager).



Result summary

Season... M W L T NR/Abd SR..... Rank
2016........ 8 2 6 0 0 25.00............. 5th
2017........ 8 3 5 0 0 37.50............. 5th
2018....... 10 2 6 2 0 30.00............ 6th
2019....... 10 3 7 0 0 30.00............. 6th
2020........ 13 7 6 0 0 53.85............ 2nd

Overall 49 17 30 2 0 34.60 —


Head-to-head count

Opponents ....................M W L T NR/Abd SR
Islamabad United......... 10 2 7 1 0 25.00
Karachi Kings................. 11 3 7 1 0 31.81
Multan Sultans................ 7 4 3 0 0 57.14
Peshawar Zalmi.............. 11 3 8 0 0 27.27
Quetta Gladiators........... 10 5 5 0 0 50.00


Lahore Qalandars’ fixtures (all times PST)

Feb 21: vs Peshawar Zalmi (Karachi, 2:00pm)
Feb 22: vs Quetta Gladiators (Karachi, 7:00pm)
Feb 26: vs Multan Sultans (Karachi, 3:00pm)
Feb 28: vs Karachi Kings (Karachi, 7:00pm)
March 4: vs Islamabad United (Karachi, 7:00pm)
March 6: vs Peshawar Zalmi (Karachi, 7:00pm)
March 11: vs Quetta Gladiators (Lahore, 7:00pm)
March 12: vs Islamabad United (Lahore, 8:00pm)
March 13: vs Karachi Kings (Lahore, 7:00pm)
March 16: vs Multan Sultans (Lahore, 7:00pm)


Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2021

 

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Team Profile:
Peshawar Zalmi seek redemption after forgetful season


Khalid H. Khan
February 16, 2021

Peshawar Zalmi captain Daren Sammy (C) celebrates with teammates his team's victory over Quetta Gladiators in the final cricket match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at The Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on March 5, 2017. — AFP

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi have always been among serious contenders for the HBL Pakistan Super League crown after having clinched the title in 2017 and finishing runners-up twice in the following two seasons.

The much-admired Darren Sammy was the inspirational force behind the team’s successful run in those early years but the two-time captain of the West Indies World Twenty20-winning team has called it quits as a playing member midway through the tournament last year to take up the role of head coach.

With Wahab Riaz taking over as the captain from Sammy in 2020, Peshawar Zalmi had a topsy-turvy journey to the playoffs as the fourth franchise to qualify before ending their campaign in fourth place — their worst-ever PSL performance to date.

This year, however, their squad selection had been done after careful consideration and among the high-profile signings is David Miller. The South African is one of the most explosive batsmen in the T20 format and provided ample glimpses of his talent on Sunday with a buccaneering unbeaten 45-ball innings of 85.
But Peshawar Zalmi will not have the 31-year-old left-hander available for at least five fixtures upfront because he will be busy back home in the CSA T20 Challenge, which runs from Feb 19 to 28.

Peshawar Zalmi are also anxious to have the seasoned Kamran Akmal — the highest run-getter in PSL history with 1,537 runs in 56 games — firing on all cylinders after the former wicket-keeper/batsman, who turned 39 last month, missed much of the domestic season for varied reasons, including issues related to his overall fitness.

Shoaib Malik — who is one of just four cricketers to play 400 or more T20 matches — is another experienced campaigner at Peshawar Zalmi’s disposal, while among the newcomers are Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman and the Swat-born Mohammad Imran, who at 20 is a highly promising left-arm seamer but still to be capped in T20 cricket.

Peshawar Zalmi have made history on another front with the induction of 24-year-old Mahinder Pal Singh — the first from the minority Sikh community who hails from Nankana Sahib but now resides in Lahore where is studying at the Punjab University to get a pharmacist’s degree — as the assistant coach.

Squad:

Wahab Riaz (captain), Shoaib Malik, David Miller, Kamran Akmal, Sherfane Rutherford, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Haider Ali, Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Amad Butt, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Umaid Asif, Saqib Mahmood, Mohammad Irfan, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Imran, Ravi Bopara, Mohammad Amir Khan.

Backroom staff:

Darren Sammy (head coach), Mohammad Akram (director cricket operations/bowling coach), Mahinder Pal Singh (assistant coach), Aftab Khan (fielding coach), Imranullah (trainer), Mohammad Mustaqeem (masseur).

Result summary

Season..........M W L T NR/Abd SR.... Rank
2016............. 10 6 4 0 0 60.00........ 3rd
2017............. 11 6 4 0 1 60.00........ 1st
2018............. 13 7 6 0 0 53.84........ 2nd
2019.............. 13 8 5 0 0 58.33....... 2nd
2020.............. 10 4 6 0 0 40.00....... 4th
Overall............ 57 31 25 0 1 56.36 —

Head-to-head count
Opponents............. M W L T NR/Abd SR
Islamabad United... 12 6 6 0 0 50.00
Karachi Kings.......... 12 8 4 0 0 66.66
Lahore Qalandars... 10 8 2 0 0 80.00
Multan Sultans.......... 6 2 4 0 0 33.33
Quetta Gladiators.... 16 7 8 0 1 46.66


Peshawar Zalmi’s fixtures (all times PST)

Feb 21: vs Lahore Qalandars (Karachi, 2:00pm)
Feb 23: vs Multan Sultans (Karachi, 7:00pm)
Feb 26: vs Quetta Gladiators (Karachi, 7:00pm)
Feb 27; vs Islamabad United (Karachi, 7:00pm)
March 3: vs Karachi Kings (Karachi, 2:00pm)
March 6: vs Lahore Qalandars (Karachi, 7:00pm)
March 10: vs Karachi Kings (Lahore, 7:00pm)
March 12: vs Multan Sultans (Lahore, 3:00pm)
March 14: vs Quetta Gladiators (Lahore, 2:00pm)
March 15: vs Islamabad United (Lahore, 7:00pm)

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2021

 

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ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions Quetta Gladiators have signed World Twenty20 winner Umar Gul as bowling coach of the team going into HBL PSL 2021.

Right-armer Umar, who was regarded as one the best T20 bowlers of all time, would replace legendary all-rounder Abdur Razzaq as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided against issuing no-objection certificates to national coaches and head coaches of provincial teams, said a press release issued here.

Quetta Gladiators’ owner Nadeem Omar said he was delighted on signing Umar. “Umar will bring in his wealth of experience; his appointment will prove very beneficial for the likes of Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Usman Shinwari,” Nadeem said.

“He [Umar] ruled the T20 format for years so we couldn’t have asked for a better replacement; it’s like a family member returning to the team. I also want to thank Razzaq for his exceptional services over the years.”

Umar, 36, played 47 Tests, 130 ODIs and 60 T20 Internationals for Pakistan and took 163, 179 and 85 wickets, respectively.

He represented Gladiators in first two seasons of PSL. Gladiators head coach Moin Khan believed that this move would prove beneficial for the team.

“We looked at both local and foreign options and felt that Umar will prove to be the best choice for us because of his understanding of modern-day cricket. He dominated the best players of the world in T20s so he would be a perfect guide to our bowling group,” Moin stated.

“I would also like to wish best of luck to Razzaq for his future assignments as he served the team really well.”

Meanwhile, Umar said he cannot wait to get going with the Gladiators.

“I am thrilled to join one of the best PSL franchises in Quetta Gladiators. They have some amazing young bowlers and I can’t wait to work with them. I want to thank Nadeem Omar and Moin Khan for believing in me and giving me this massive opportunity,” he said.

 

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Star-Studded Lineup for PSL 2021 Opening Ceremony Revealed

Pakistan Super League 2021 will start with a glittering opening ceremony on 20 February with an entertainment-packed event which will include renowned artists including Atif Aslam, Imran Khan, Humaima Malick, and the PSL 6 Anthem artists, Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig, and Young Stunners.

Internationally acclaimed singer Atif Aslam will be making his first appearance in the PSL opening ceremony. The league gets underway every year with a colorful opening ceremony since its inception in 2016.

Along with Atif, renowned artist, Imran Khan, will also be marking his debut at the PSL stage.

The PSL 6 opening ceremony will be have some parts filmed offshore in a specially designed studio space in Turkey.

The first four ceremonies were held at the Dubai International Stadium while the 2020 opening ceremony was staged at the National Stadium Karachi, and the same venue will play host to the 2021 ceremony.

As has been the tradition in earlier editions, the opening ceremony will be followed by the first match of the season in which defending champions Karachi Kings will play Quetta Gladiators in the night match.
The ceremony will be aired on PTV Sports and Geo Super. The opening ceremony start time will be revealed in the coming week.

 

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FFL partners with Multan Sultans for PSL

Recorder Report
18 Feb 2021

LAHORE: Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited (FFL) has partnered up with Multan Sultans for the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) starting from February 20, 2021.

With the likes of Chris Lynn, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Shahid Afridi, and James Vince, Multan Sultans is sure to make a comeback in PSL 2021 with explosive performances.

Khurram Javed Maqbool, Director Marketing and Sales at Fatima Group said, “Fatima Fertilizer is thrilled to be supporting Multan Sultans in the sixth edition of PSL 2021.”

Syed Haider Azhar, Chief Operating Officer Multan Sultans said, “Despite a very limited crowd allowed in stadiums in observance of the Covid-19 SOPs, the excitement of the cricket fanatics is at an all-time high, therefore both the entities complement each other’s objectives of entertaining them and promoting the nation’s favourite sport to the best of our abilities.”


Copyright Business Recorder, 2021

 

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Where does the 6-year-old PSL really stand?


Syed Hammad Hasnain
February 19, 2021

It is the hallmark of sports media to talk up their own athletes, their own sports and their own leagues in a bid to project an image far greater than reality.

It is this hyperbole that sees American media declare Super Bowl winners as "world champions" even though the National Football League (NFL) is a local event at best; not only is it not open to international teams but is also barely understood elsewhere around the globe.

Nothing against American football, it must be a cracking sport even if it is not our cup of tea, but the preamble was to illustrate that TV media everywhere is prone to these shenanigans.

The English press is often accused of hyping up their local talent just because it is their talent. You will find plenty of similar examples to the east of our borders where cricket reigns supreme.

And, as much as it pains me to say, our dear nation might also have picked up the rather annoying proclivity for hyperbole when it comes to matters concerning the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Perhaps, it is cricket’s de facto status as the national sport or maybe it’s the P in PSL that makes us want to get into the debates of statutes.

TV reporters are often spotted shoving microphones into the faces of foreign players, demanding that comparisons be made with the Big Bash League and the Indian Premier League.

As obliging guests in another country, foreign cricketers end up comparing PSL favourably with its bigger rivals. But one can argue that such exercises completely miss the point.

The real reason to celebrate PSL is not its size, the stars it attracts or even the money it generates. The main source of pride for PSL fans should be the tournament's continued existence, which enters its sixth year in two days.

In a country where — until not too long ago — no civilian government had managed to exist for five years, a cricket league has lasted for six.

The tournament has been a constant fixture since 2015, overcoming obstacles such as scant finances and even the coronavirus pandemic.

In just five short years, it has swiftly become the country's greatest sports brand, surviving a regime change, a financial wrangle and a pandemic to become the crown jewel in Pakistani cricket fans’ sports calendar.
Every new year now starts with anticipation for PSL. The franchises are now well-established brands, with their unique ethos and styles of play.
If Quetta Gladiators are consistent, the Karachi Kings are flamboyant. If Lahore Qalandars are the neutrals’ favourites, then Peshawar Zalmi are the cool cats. If Islamabad United are silent assassins then Multan Sultans are the newest kids on the block.
PSL and its components have already formed distinguishable personalities of their own, which does not happen easily in nascent franchised leagues.
In a highly polarised country — where a guest team was attacked resulting in no foreign player wanting to set foot in Pakistan — for an event such as PSL to exist and grow every year is a remarkable feat.
The league represents the country’s tale of persistence and fight in the face of adversities […] and traffic jams. So what if Ben Stokes does not play PSL just yet or the league does not pay IPL-level salaries just yet? That day can wait.
For now, the pride is in the rocky terrain we’ve travelled to reach this far.
Karachi all set for PSL 6...

 

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