The Pakistan Super League is an international professional Twenty20 league played between six teams consisting in six cities in Pakistan. The league was launched by the Pakistan Cricket Board on 9 September 2015 with only five teams. It was meant to replace the premiership Pakistan Super League, which was due to end in April. There are around 600 cricket fans who have turned up for the first-ever Pakistan Super League.
The launch of the Pakistan Super League has seen many financial and non-financial sponsors approach the PCB in an attempt to sponsor some or all of the league matches. In addition, the league has received government permission to hold a regular-season and preliminary round of matches in Lahore in December and January. The matches are scheduled to be played in front of a capacity crowd of more than ten thousand people. The venues for the matches in Pakistan have not yet been decided upon.
The PCB is looking at venues in Lahore and Rawal port as possible options for the venue of its first-ever season in the country. A stadium in the former capital of Pakistan, Quetta was also considered a possibility. However, talks between the officials of the PCB and the city planning authority over the matter of providing a venue for the league matches did not end in positive results.
Now, it seems that the preferred option of playing in Lahore and Rawal port might be the only option left with the PCB. The PCB is yet to announce any decision on this issue. The venue for the league match in Quetta was also problematic as Rawal port is located in an area where the local population is against the mining industry.
The problems faced by the PCB in relation to choosing venues for their first season in Pakistan have not deterred the organization from making a go at things. They have yet to make an announcement on the venues for their league matches in Quetta and Lahore. However, both these cities have a significant influence on the finances and business scenario in Pakistan, and hosting matches at these two places is definitely going to have a considerable impact on the profits of the PCB.
PSL 8 Schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | Teams | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 2 | 15th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 3 | 15th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 4 | 16th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Multan Sultans | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 5 | 16th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 6 | 17th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 7 | 17th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 8 | 20th February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 9 | 21st February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 10 | 22nd February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 11 | 22nd February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 12 | 23rd February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 13 | 23rd February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Karachi Kings | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 14 | 24th February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 15 | 24th February 2022 | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 16 | 26th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Multan Sultans | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 17 | 27th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 18 | 27th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Karachi Kings | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 19 | 28th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 20 | 28th February 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 21 | 1st March 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 22 | 1st March 2022 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 23 | 4th March 2022 | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium | Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 24 | 4th March 2022 | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium | Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 25 | 5th March 2022 | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium | Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 26 | 5th March 2022 | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium | Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 27 | 7th March 2022 | National Stadium, Karachi | Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 28 | 9th March 2022 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars | 09:00 PM PKT |
| 29 | 10th March 2022 | National Stadium, Karachi | Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators | 05:00 PM PKT |
| 30 | 10th March 2022 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans | 09:00 PM PKT |
It is natural for the PCB to look towards events held outside the country for their first season in charge. Events like the Twenty20 World Cup and the Asia Cup are considered the best platforms for the PCB to promote their brand image among fans and viewers. These events are able to increase the popularity of the brand. A significant number of foreign tourists is also expected to travel to Pakistan during the event.
Another important factor is the promotion of the game in Quetta as the capital of Pakistan. The city has a good reputation for hosting large events such as the PM’s XI tour and the cricket arena. Recently, an international cup was held in Quetta and this helped promote the game further.
However, the success of the event has not been able to curb the increasing popularity of the league. Quetta is likely to host the first season of the PCB in 20 23. It is not possible to project a clear winner if all competitions are held in Quetta as the presence of many other venues could affect the final result.
Teams Participating In PSL 8
There are six teams that are participating in PSL 7. Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Peshawer Zalmim, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans & Lahore Qalandars.
Another factor that will determine the outcome of the league is the presence of players with famous names on the team. Unfortunately, the recent trend has seen stars like Michael Holding, AB de Villiers, and Graham Batra move away from domestic cricket to take up opportunities in the IPL. Hence, it is hard to evaluate the contribution that batsmen like Azhar Ali, Buttaka Husain, and Sarfraz Ahmed have made to the Pakistan cricket league. All this remains to be seen.
The popularity of the league has led to several discussions on whether it should be held in Pakistan or not. It appears that the PCB would prefer to have it held outside the country as this is what the cricket world wants. If the league does get a second season, it is expected that both IPL and Champions League will be held in Pakistan. In the first season of the PPL, there were only four teams participating, which made it difficult for organizers to arrange tickets and infrastructure for the tournament.