The ninth edition of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) begins in a double round robin from February 17. Initially there was a suggestion to add two teams in the league and move the tournament to the UAE due to the 2024 Pakistani general election, but the franchise owners opposed the proposal and now the league is being played in Pakistan’s four cities – Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan.

Lahore Qalandars are the defending champions who won the title by beating Multan Sultans by 1 run at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, last year.

The PSL provides a platform for local cricketers to showcase their talent. One of the positive aspects of PSL is that it gives the Pakistani players the chance to share dressing rooms with renowned international players and gain valuable experience.

Thanks to PSL, our young cricketers now go into the international cricket sphere having played under pressure, and thus they are familiar with strong opponents.

The Pakistani league has given us players like Hassan Ali, Imad Waseem, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, and Shahnawaz Dahani.

The first edition of PSL was played in 2016. Five teams — Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, and Lahore Qalandars — participated and all matches were played in the UAE. It was won by Islamabad United who beat Quetta Gladiators by six wickets.

The second edition was again played in the UAE, but the PCB efforts made it possible that elimination matches and the final were played in Lahore and Karachi. The final was won by Peshawar Zalmi. Quetta Gladiators remained unfortunate again in the final.

The third edition was won by Islamabad United who beat Peshawar by three wickets in Karachi.

The fourth edition of PSL was won by Quetta who beat Peshawar by eight wickets.

In 2020 Karachi Kings won their first PSL title by beating arch-rivals Lahore Qalandars by five wickets.

The sixth edition of PSL was won by newest side Multan Sultans who beat Peshawar Zalmi in the final by 47 runs.

In 2022, finally, Lahore Qalandars’ dream came true in the seventh attempt as the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led home side lifted the PSL-7 trophy in front of a full house at the Gaddafi Stadium. Multan Sultans’ dream of becoming the first team to successfully defend a PSL title was shattered with a 42-run defeat.

After Lahore’s win all six teams have won the league at least once. Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars have won the title twice.

When the management of Lahore Qalandars appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as the skipper for PSL seventh edition, veteran all-rounder Shahid Afridi had advised Shaheen to wait for a year or two before accepting captaincy so that he could focus on his bowling.

But Shaheen not only accepted the challenge but proved Shahid Afridi wrong by winning the maiden Pakistan Super League title.

Before Shaheen, seven players had led Lahore Qalandars - Azhar Ali and DJ Bravo in 2016, Brendon McCullum in 2017, Sohail Akhtar (2018), Mohammad Hafeez, AB de Villiers and Fakhar Zaman in 2019 and Sohail Akhtar in 2021.

Shaheen became the youngest captain - at the age of 21 - to win a T20 league title. Shaheen broke the record of Indian star batsman Rohit Sharma, who led Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians to the title, aged 26, in 2013.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, 36, is the only one who has been leading a franchise since 2016. He was appointed skipper of Quetta Gladiators when the league was inaugurated. He led Gladiators to the PSL title in 2019.

But Gladiators’ form has fallen away dramatically since. They have missed qualifying for the playoffs the last four years, and finished bottom or second from bottom each time.

Afghanistan’s ace spinner Rashid Khan has played for Lahore Qalandars in each of the last three PSL seasons, winning titles in 2022 and 2023. He has officially withdrawn from the tournament as he continues his rehabilitation, having undergone surgery last November.

Pakistani domestic cricketers are some of the lowest paid professional cricketers in the world. The money offered in PSL motivates the youngsters to work harder as they hope to get signed by PSL franchises.

The PSL has come a long way since its inception. The league has become an integral part of the Pakistani cricket scene and has helped to revitalise the sport in the country.

In the past the only way for local cricketers to be financially secure was to get a place in the international team, which of course only a few can manage.

Besides the attraction of financial rewards, it is the manner in which foreign players are treated here which makes them prefer Pakistan Super League over other leagues taking place in the same months.

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is the most successful batsman with 2,935 runs in 79 matches at an average of 43.80 and a strike rate of 124.84. Fakhar Zamn (2,368) and Shoaib Malik (2,082) are the only other batsmen with over 2,000 runs.

On the bowling side, fast bowler Wahab Riaz took most 113 wickets, averaging 22.68. Hasan Ali (94) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (89) are behind him with the average of 18.27 and 15.80, respectively.

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