LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Cricket Board has unveiled the schedule for the 11th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League, marking a major expansion of the country’s flagship T20 competition.
The tournament will run from 26 March to 3 May, featuring 44 matches across six cities in a 39-day cricketing spectacle.
For the first time since the league’s inception in 2016, eight teams will compete in the tournament. Two new franchises, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindi Pindiz, have joined the competition following the latest PSL auction. The Kingsmen were acquired for Rs175 crore, while the Pindiz secured their place in the league with a bid worth Rs245 crore.
Matches will be staged in Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi. The upcoming edition will also mark the first time that Faisalabad and Peshawar host PSL fixtures, widening the league’s footprint across Pakistan.
The participating teams in the expanded league include Hyderabad Kingsmen, Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators and Rawalpindi Pindiz.
Tournament format
Under the tournament structure, each team will play 10 matches during the league stage. The top four teams will advance to the knockout phase consisting of Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the Final.
The playoffs are scheduled to take place from 28 April to 3 May, with the final set to be held at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. A reserve day for the final has also been scheduled for 4 May in case of weather interruptions.
The tournament calendar includes 12 double-header matchdays, offering fans multiple fixtures on the same day. Gaddafi Stadium will host three of those double-headers.
Lahore matches
Gaddafi Stadium will serve as the primary venue of the tournament, staging a total of 15 matches including the opening fixture on 26 March between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen.
The Lahore venue holds a special place in PSL history. It hosted the first PSL match played on Pakistani soil in 2017 when the final was staged there, and has since held the championship matches in 2022, 2023 and 2025.
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars, who lifted the trophy in the 2022, 2023 and 2025 editions, will play at least five matches at their home ground. One of the most anticipated encounters of the early season will see Lahore Qalandars take on Karachi Kings on 29 March.
Gaddafi Stadium will also stage three double-headers on 29 March, 19 April and 25 April.
New venues
Peshawar will host PSL cricket for the first time at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, previously known as Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium. The ground last hosted an international match two decades ago, when Pakistan played India in a One Day International on 6 February 2006.
The venue will stage its inaugural PSL fixture on 28 March, when Peshawar Zalmi face Rawalpindi Pindiz in an afternoon match. The stadium is currently hosting fixtures of the National T20 Cup.
Faisalabad’s historic Iqbal Stadium will also welcome PSL action for the first time. The city is set to host seven matches during the tournament.
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars will play four matches at the venue, while Peshawar Zalmi are scheduled to feature in three fixtures. The first PSL game in Faisalabad will be played on 9 April between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United as an afternoon encounter.
Other venues
Multan Cricket Stadium will host four evening matches, all featuring home side Multan Sultans. The city’s first game of the season will take place on 1 April, when the 2021 champions take on Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Karachi’s National Bank Stadium, formerly known as National Stadium Karachi, will stage six matches in the upcoming edition. The venue has previously hosted PSL finals in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2024.
Karachi Kings and Hyderabad Kingsmen will each play three matches at the venue, while Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United will feature in two games each. The first match in Karachi is scheduled for 8 April between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Peshawar Zalmi.
The venue will also host the first clash of what is expected to become a fresh rivalry in the league, when Hyderabad Kingsmen face Karachi Kings on 11 April.
Rawalpindi fixtures
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will stage 11 matches during the tournament, including one of the qualifiers in the playoff phase. The venue, which hosted matches during last year’s ICC Champions Trophy, will also host two double-headers on 2 April and 26 April.
With the addition of Rawalpindi Pindiz to the league, the stadium will now serve as a home venue for two teams. Islamabad United are scheduled to play six matches at the ground, while Rawalpindi Pindiz will feature in five.
The two sides will meet at least twice during the group stage, with their first encounter set for 4 April and the second scheduled for 23 April.