Complete PSL 2019 schedule

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board has released the schedule for fourth edition of Pakistan Super League to be played from 14th Feb to 17th March.

The league will be played at five venues across the UAE and Pakistan.

Thirty-four (34) matches will be played and for the first time in the short history of this highly successful tournament, Lahore and Karachi will share eight matches between them at the backend of the 32-day event.

Karachi’s National Stadium will host the first of their five matches on March 7, 2019 when Karachi Kings will take on Peshawar Zalmi under lights. The other four matches will be: Karachi Kings versus Quetta Gladiators on March 10, 2019, Qualifier 1 versus Qualifier 2 on March 13, 2019, Eliminator 2 on March 15, 2019 and the final on March 17, 2019.

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be the venue of three matches, namely: Lahore Qalandars versus Islamabad United on March 9, 2019, Lahore Qalandars versus the Sixth team on March 10, 2019 and Eliminator 1 (3 v 4) on March 12, 2019. All the three matches will be played under floodlights.

In addition to the Gaddafi Stadium and National Stadium, 14 matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, four matches will be held at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and eight matches will be staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah.

According to the event format, each side will play the other twice with the top-four after 30 event matches advancing to the play-offs. In the March 13, 2019 Qualifier, the table-toppers will play the second-placed side with the winner progressing to the final. The losing side will get a second chance to qualify for the final when, in the March 15, 2019 Eliminator 2, they will play the winner of March 12, 2019 Eliminator 1, which will be between the third and fourth-placed sides.

“The PCB is delighted to announce the schedule of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2019, which marks two months to go to one of the PCB’s marquee events which continues to grow in reputation and stature.

“The PCB is committed to working harder to make the HBL PSL an even bigger and better tournament, with the focus being to provide top notch playing facilities to the players, increase the fan base and provide the followers complete entertainment, and ensure all interests of our key stakeholders are adequately and professionally taken care of.

“The PCB believes the HBL PSL is a gateway to resumption of international cricket in Pakistan. By successfully staging eight matches in Lahore and Karachi with the support of the local authorities, the PCB is optimistic that it will once again prove to the world that Pakistan is as safe and secure a place as any other part of the world to play international cricket.

“The PCB would like to thank its esteemed commercial partners, including title sponsors HBL, for their continued support and patronage. Without the involvement and commitment of the sponsors, no event can be organised successfully. The PCB is confident that the strong and successful HBL PSL brand will also help the PCB’s commercial partners to secure maximum exposure and coverage both within and outside Pakistan.”

In only in its fourth year, the HBL Pakistan Super League has grown into one of the biggest and most competitive tournaments, evident from the fact that the world’s leading and most attractive cricketers continue to make themselves available for this competition.

South Africa’s AB de Villiers and Brendan Taylor of Zimbabwe, who will wear Lahore Qalandars’ kits, and Steve Smith of Australia, who will represent the sixth team, are three of the 19 players expected to make their PSL debuts in 2019.

The others 16 are: Fawad Ahmed, Qais Ahmed, Corey Anderson, Ian Bell, Dan Christian, Ben Dunk, Laurie Evans, Harry Gurney, Liam Livingstone, Wayne Madsen, Tom Moores, Sandeep Lamichanne, Wayne Parnell, Sikander Raza, Waqar Salamkheil and Phil Salt.

The players have also expressed their enthusiasm and interest in the start of the HBL PSL 2019.

Foreign players to feature in HBL PSL 2019 are:

Afghanistan – Zahir Khan, Qais Ahmad, Waqar Salamkheil

Australia – Fawad Ahmed, Dan Christian, Ben Dunk, Steve Smith, Aaron Summers, Shane Watson

England – Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Liam Dawson, Joe Denly, Laurie Evans, Harry Gurney, Chris Jordon, Liam Livingstone, Wayne Madsen, Dawid Malan, Tom Moores, Samit Patel

New Zealand – Corey Anderson, Anton Devcich, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi

Nepal – Sandeep Lamichhane

South Africa – AB de Villiers, Colin Ingram, Cameron Delport, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Rossouw

Wales – Phil Salt

West Indies – Dwayne Bravo, Carlos Brathwaite, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy

Zimbabwe – Sikandar Raza and Brendan Taylor