HBL PSL action begins on Jan 26

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday the detailed schedule of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7, which will begin on January 27, while the final of an action-packed tournament would be held on February 27.

According to a press release, issued by the PCB, Karachi would host the first 15 matches of the HBL PSL, while the remaining part of the event will take place in Lahore, including the final. The tournament features 34 matches over 32 days.

“Following an opening ceremony, defending champions Multan Sultans will take on hosts and 2020 champions Karachi Kings at the National Stadium with the first ball to be bowled at 7 pm PST,” read the PCB press release.

It added that the 2019 champions Quetta Gladiators will go toe-to-toe with the 2017 winners Peshawar Zalmi on the following day on Friday. Multan Sultans will take on 2020 runners-up Lahore Qalandars at 2 pm PST, followed by the Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators’ fixture at 7 pm PST on Saturday.

Two-time champions Islamabad will be in action on Sunday afternoon when they will lock horns with Peshawar Zalmi, with the evening match to be played between arch-rivals Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars, according to the schedule.

According to the press release, Karachi will host the first 15 matches from January 27 to February 7. Afterwards, “the action will shift to the Gaddafi Stadium where the remaining 15 league matches and the four play-offs will be played from February 10-27, the press release said.

The February 27 final will be the first time since 2017 when the headquarters of Pakistan cricket will hold the final. The National Stadium had staged the finals from 2018 to 2020, while Abu Dhabi was the venue for 2021 final where Sultans defeated Zalmi by 47 runs.

The PCB announced a unique approach to the matches in the HBL PSL7. “The PCB has designed the 2022 tournament in such a way that each side will play an equal number of matches in Karachi and Lahore, as well as games under natural and artificial lights,” the PBC said.

HBL PSL7 Draft 2022

The PCB has decided the HBL PSL Draft 2022 will be held at the High-Performance Centre in Lahore on Sunday, 12 December, with the event to kick-off at 3 pm. Each side will come to the draft with a maximum of eight-player retentions from the last event.

Following the finalisation of player categories, the transfer and retention window is now officially open and will close on 10 December.

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In the Platinum Category, Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick, followed by Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators. Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in the Diamond Category, followed by Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans.

Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in the Gold Category, Peshawar Zalmi will have the first pick in the Silver Category, Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick in Emerging Category and Quetta Gladiators will have the first pick in Supplementary Category.

“I am delighted that the HBL PSL 7 schedule has been announced,” PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said. “This will now get the ball rolling with the teams to start planning and finalising their line-ups and the PCB increasing the pace of the operational delivery to ensure they provide quality playing facilities for the players as well as five-star experience to the fans and our valued commercial partners.

“The HBL PSL 7 will also kick start what will be a bumper year for Pakistan cricket with the Australia men’s cricket team to play a full series in March-April with England men’s cricket side to tour Pakistan twice for white-ball and red-ball cricket.”

Schedule

27 Jan – Karachi Kings vs Multan Sultans
28 Jan – Quetta Gladiators vs Peshawar Zalmi
29 Jan – Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars; Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators
30 Jan – Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United; Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars
31 Jan – Quetta Gladiators vs Multan Sultans
1 Feb – Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans
2 Feb - Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars
3 Feb – Quetta Gladiators vs Islamabad United
4 Feb – Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi
5 Feb – Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars; Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans
6 Feb – Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United
7 Feb – Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars
10 Feb – Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi
11 Feb – Lahore Qalandars vs Multan Sultans
12 Feb – Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators
13 Feb – Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings; Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators
14 Feb – Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings
15 Feb – Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators
16 Feb – Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings
17 Feb - Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi
18 Feb – Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators; Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings
19 Feb – Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United
20 Feb – Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings; Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United
21 Feb – Lahore Qalandars vs Peshawar Zalmi
23 Feb – Qualifier (1 vs 2)
24 Feb – Eliminator 1 (3 vs 4)
25 Feb – Eliminator 2 (Loser Qualifier 1 vs Winner Eliminator 1)
27 Feb – (Qualifier v Eliminator 2) Final