Pakistan Super League PSL 2019

PSL 2019 – de Villiers, Smith to Play PSL, 8 Matches in Pakistan

The 2019 edition of the Pakistan Super League will begin on February 14, 2019, and eight of the matches will be played in Pakistan as confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. This call was taken on September 15 by the PCB and the PSL franchises after a meeting at the NCA. The last eight games of the 2019 PSL will be played in Pakistan, including the final which will be played in Karachi like last season. PCB intends to hold three matches in Lahore while Karachi to host five matches including the season-finale that will be held on March 17.The fourth season of the Pakistan Super League will be played across five venues, three in UAE and two in Pakistan. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai are the three stadiums in UAE while the two Pakistani venues include Lahore and Karachi. The final will be held in Karachi.According to latest reports, the contract of Multan Sultans with Schon Properties Broker LLC has been terminated because of allegations of non-payment of dues. However, the team (renamed as the “The Sixth Team” for now) will continue to exist with the ownership said to transfer to the PCB.The tournament is still a few months away but the preparation has already begun to make it bigger and better. And while it’s still a matter of the opening ceremony, the PSL committee has decided it will try and host the opening ceremony of the competition in Pakistan.
According to latest reports, eight PSL matches will be played in Pakistan this season with PCB chief Ehsan Mani promising they were looking at bringing the entire PSL to Pakistan in two to three years.
While the increased security is an obvious reason for this decision, one other reason that the PSL Governing Council might have taken this call is because the PCB had tried to negotiate with the Emirates Cricket Board to not host any T20 tournaments at least 35 days before the PSL in order to avoid any marketing or logistical issues.What was also confirmed was that South African cricket legend AB de Villiers will be playing in this edition of the PSL and will feature for the Lahore Qalandars after he became the first pick of the PSL Draft this season. More news on de Villiers’ selection can be found here.
By bringing the PSL Opening Ceremony into Pakistan, it could well be the next step that the PCB is taking in bringing the entire tournament back in Pakistan. And it’s not just the opening ceremony but the PCB has also decided they will play a few more matches in Pakistan and if reports are to be believed players won’t be allowed to pick and choose matches.
Till recently, players were allowed to play in the UAE and opt out of featuring in Pakistan and those who made the trip to the country were paid extra. Going forward, neither of these possibilities will be allowed. In fact some of the teams made it very clear during the Draft they were going to pick only those players who were happy to feature in Pakistan for those eight games during the PSL.
The PSL 2019 schedule for the fourth season has now been revealed. The PSL Draft was held on November 20 after the teams were allowed to retain up to 10 players apiece. Here’s how you can buy PSL tickets for 2019.
“We have an excellent and balanced team,” new Qalandars captain Mohammed Hafeez said. “I am sure the boys will benefit from AB’s rich experience, and AB himself will have a great time with us.”
For all the new features, there are many old favourites, too.
Shahid Afridi will be back – this time with a third team. Having started out with Peshawar Zalmi, then moved on to Karachi Kings, he is now with a new franchise, yet to be named, and formed from the remnants of Multan Sultans.
“We look forward to welcoming Steve Smith and Shahid Afridi, two absolute legends of the game, to the side and hope they will play their lead roles in helping us cross the line,” said Shoaib Malik, the captain of the “sixth team”.

Islamabad United

The defending champions are the most successful side in the three-year history of the PSL, having won the first tournament in 2015, as well as last year. They have an overall win percentage of 61.

Captain: Luke Ronchi (New Zealand)

Pick of their Pakistanis: Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali

Overseas stars: Samit Patel (England), Ian Bell (England), Zahir Khan (Afghanistan)

Karachi Kings

The Kings will have to improve if they are to make it back to a final in their home stadium – where they will play two group-stage matches. They have the second worst win percentage in PSL history, of 42.

Captain: Imad Wasim

Pick of their Pakistanis: Mohammed Amir, Babar Azam, Usman Shinwari

Overseas stars: Colin Munro (New Zealand), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Liam Livingstone (England)

Lahore Qalandars

Historically the worst-performing franchise, with a meagre win rate of just 35 per cent. But Qalandars did add some silverware to their bare trophy cabinet by winning the Abu Dhabi T20 this year.

Captain: Mohammed Hafeez

Pick of their Pakistanis: Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Afridi, Yasir Shah

Overseas stars: Sandeep Lamichanne (Nepal), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Corey Anderson (New Zealand)

Peshawar Zalmi

The only side other than Islamabad United to have their name on the PSL trophy, having won it in 2016. They also have the second-best win rate, having won 58 per cent of their matches.

Captain: Daren Sammy (West Indies)

Pick of their Pakistanis: Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal, Hasan Ali

Overseas stars: Liam Dawson (England), Dawid Malan (England), Kieron Pollard (West Indies)

Quetta Gladiators

They might consider themselves unfortunate not to have won the title yet, having been regular finalists under the captaincy of Sarfraz Ahmed. The side from Quetta have won 57 per cent of their matches.

Captain: Sarfraz Ahmed

Pick of their Pakistanis: Umar Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Anwar Ali

Overseas stars: Fawad Ahmed (Australia), Sunil Narine (West Indies), Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)

Sixth team

As yet still to be formally named, but they will be formed from the remnants of the short-lived Multan Sultans franchise, which won 44 per cent of the matches in their brief existence.

Captain: Shoaib Malik

Pick of their Pakistanis: Shahid Afridi, Mohammed Irfan, Junaid Khan

Overseas stars: Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Steve Smith (Australia), Qais Ahmed (Afghanistan)

The schedule

Thu Feb 14

Dubai – Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars

Fri Feb 15

Dubai – Sixth team v Karachi Kings, Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators

Sat Feb 16

Dubai – Islamabad United v Sixth team, Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings

Sun Feb 17

Dubai – Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars

Wed Feb 20

Sharjah – Quetta Gladiators v Sixth team

Thu Feb 21

Sharjah – Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings

Fri Feb 22

Sharjah – Sixth team v Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi

Sat Feb 23

Sharjah – Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United v Karachi Kings

Sun Feb 24

Sharjah – Peshawar Zalmi v Sixth team, Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings

Tue Feb 26

Dubai – Sixth team v Islamabad United

Wed Feb 27

Dubai – Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings v Islamabad United

Thu Feb 28

Dubai – Sixth team v Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars

Fri Mar 1

Dubai – Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Sixth team v Quetta Gladiators

Mon Mar 4

Abu Dhabi – Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi Kings v Sixth team

Tue Mar 5

Abu Dhabi – Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United

Thu Mar 7

Karachi – Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi

Sat Mar 9

Lahore – Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United

Sun Mar 10

Karachi – Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators

Lahore – Lahore Qalandars v Sixth team

Tue Mar 12

Lahore – Eliminator 1

Wed Mar 13

Karachi – Qualifier

Fri Mar 15

Karachi – Eliminator 2

Sat Mar 16

Rest day

Sun Mar 17

Karachi - Final

Fifteen international stars including AB de Villiers, Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Thisara Parera, Dwayne Bravo, Colin Munro and Mitchell McClenaghan will be seen in action in this year’s edition.

Related: De Villiers, Smith, Rashid placed in platinum category for PSL 2019

Moreover, more than 80 Pakistan players have been placed in five categories — Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging.

The tournament will kick off on February 14, 2019 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The governing council of the PSL, in a meeting chaired by the Pakistan Cricket Board head, agreed to organise the final eight matches of the next edition in different cities of Pakistan.

Related: Categories for Pakistani players in the PSL 2019 have been announced

The final will be played at Karachi’s National Stadium on March 17.