LAHORE – The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will takeplace from January 27 to February 27, announced Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) on Friday.
Karachi will host 15 matches in first-leg while Lahore will stage remaining19 matches including the finale of the tournament.
Following an opening ceremony, defending champions Multan Sultans will takeon hosts and 2020 champions Karachi Kings at the National Stadium with thefirst ball to be bowled at 7pm PKT.
2019 champions Quetta Gladiators will go toe to toe with 2017 winnersPeshawar Zalmi on the following day on Friday.
In first of the six double-headers to be played in the 32-day and 34-matchtournament, Multan Sultans will take on 2020 runners-up Lahore Qalandars at2pm PKT, which will be followed by the Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators’fixture that will begin at 7pm PKT on Saturday.
Two-time champions Islamabad will be in action on Sunday afternoon whenthey will lock horns with Peshawar Zalmi, with the evening match to beplayed between arch-rivals Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars.
After Karachi, which will host 15 matches from 27 January to 7 February,action will shift to the Gaddafi Stadium where the remaining 15 leaguematches and the four play-offs will be played from 10-27 February.
The 27 February final will be the first time since 2017 when theheadquarters of Pakistan cricket will hold the final. National Stadium hadstaged the finals from 2018 to 2020, while Abu Dhabi was the venue for the2021 final where Sultans defeated Zalmi by 47 runs.
The PCB has designed the 2022 tournament in such a way that each side willplay equal number of matches in Karachi and Lahore, as well as games undernatural and artificial lights.
*PSL Draft 2022*
The PCB has decided the HBL PSL Draft 2022 will be held at the HighPerformance Centre in Lahore on Sunday, 12 December, with the event tokick-off at 3pm.
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Each side will come to the draft with a maximum of eight player retentionsfrom the last event. Following the finalisation of player categories, thetransfer and retention window is now officially open and will close on 10December.
In the Platinum Category, Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick,followed by Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmiand Quetta Gladiators. Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in theDiamond Category, followed by Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, QuettaGladiators, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans.
Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in the Gold Category, PeshawarZalmi will have the first pick in the Silver Category, Lahore Qalandarswill have the first pick in Emerging Category and Quetta Gladiators willhave the first pick in Supplementary Category.
*Local players’ category renewals*
The PCB, following a review and assessment process, has updated localplayers’ categories.
In the biggest moves, Pakistan wicketkeeper/batter and Multan Sultan’scaptain Mohammad Rizwan (previously Silver), Asif Ali of Islamabad United(previously Gold) and Lahore Qalandars’ Haris Rauf (previously Diamond)have been placed in Platinum Category.
Multan Sultans’ Sohaib Maqsood, who was Player of HBL PSL 6, and Haider Aliof Peshawar Zalmi have moved up from Silver and Gold Categories to DiamondCategory, respectively.
PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja, “I am delighted that the HBL PSL 7 schedule hasbeen announced. This will now get the ball rolling with the teams to startplanning and finalising their line-ups and the PCB increasing the pace ofthe operational delivery to ensure they provide quality playing facilitiesfor the players as well as five-star experience to the fans and our valuedcommercial partners.
“The HBL PSL 7 will also kick start what will be a bumper year for Pakistancricket with the Australia men’s cricket team to play a full series inMarch-April with England men’s cricket side to tour Pakistan twice forwhite-ball and red ball cricket.”
