The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 7) is all set to commence on Tomorrow (Thursday) at the iconic National Stadium in Karachi with defending champions Multan Sultans facing off against 2020 champions Karachi Kings following the curtain-raiser opening ceremony.
Babar Azam, who made the record for most T20I wins as captain in a calendar year with 20 in 2021, will lead Karachi Kings during PSL 2022. Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan, first-ever batter to score more than 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year, will lead the Multan Sultans for the duration of PSL 7.
“I am very excited to be leading Karachi Kings this season. This is the first instance that I will be captaining a side in the HBL PSL and I am looking forward to it.” said Babar Azam. “The first match of the tournament always has a lot of eyeballs and Multan Sultans can prove to be a tough opposition. I am sure the fans will get to see a thrilling contest.”
“Peter Moores is a seasoned coach and I have had fruitful discussions with him. Karachi Kings will display good, competitive cricket this season.” he added.
“We have all the potential to defend our HBL PSL title and we will be taking the field tomorrow with that mind set. This season will present us new challenges and we will have to plan accordingly.” stated Mohammad Rizwan. “Babar Azam is a wonderful batter and captain, and his leadership will certainly have a good impact on Karachi Kings. I am hopeful that the HBL PSL 7 will kick off with a great contest between the two sides.”
According to the the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) directives, the seating capacity for the PSL 7 has been reduced to 25 percent for all matches in Karachi, while a decision on the number of spectators in Lahore to be taken in due course.
On the second match day on Friday, Quetta Gladiators will play Peshawar Zalmi with the match starting at 2pm PKT, while the third match day on Saturday will serve the fans a double-header with Multan Sultans playing Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings taking on Quetta Gladiators.
Lahore Qalandars will captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has had stratospheric rise in international cricket since his debut in 2018, will hope the change in leadership leads to a change in their fortunes and they secure the glittering trophy.
Islamabad United will be led by Shadab Khan during the PSL 7 tournament, while Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is the only player to lead his side in all the editions, will continue to command his Gladiators from Quetta, while Peshawar Zalmi will be led by Wahab Riaz.
The HBL PSL has established itself as one of the top T20 leagues around the world and it has featured most sought-after cricketers from around the world. The competitiveness of this league and the quality of action has served up and coming Pakistan cricketers opportunities to learn, enhance their skills and learn nitty-gritties of the game.
National Stadium will host the first 15 matches till 7 February of the PSL 7, before the action moves to Lahore, where Gaddafi Stadium, the home of Pakistan cricket, will stage the last 19 games from 10-27 February. A decision is yet to be taken for the spectator capacity by the NCOC.
Read more: PSL 7 2022 Schedule, Venue & Match Timings.
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