Our Web Desk
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the 11th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), marking the beginning of a new chapter for the country’s premier T20 competition as it expands to eight teams and six host cities.
The 39-day tournament will run from March 26 to May 3, featuring 44 matches played across Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi. For the first time since the league’s inception in 2016, Faisalabad and Peshawar will host PSL matches, a move officials say reflects the league’s growing footprint and the PCB’s commitment to spreading top-tier cricket across Pakistan.
The expanded edition will include two new franchises — Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindi Pindiz, who join established sides Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators in the tournament.
The two new teams were added following a competitive franchise auction earlier this year. Hyderabad Kingsmen were acquired for PKR 175 crore, while Rawalpindi Pindiz became the most expensive franchise in league history at PKR 245 crore, according to PCB officials.
Opening match and format
The tournament will open on March 26 at Gaddafi Stadium where defending champions Lahore Qalandars will face tournament debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Each of the eight teams will play 10 group-stage matches, with the top four sides advancing to the playoffs. The knockout stage will begin on April 28 and consist of Qualifier 1, Eliminator and Qualifier 2, culminating in the final on May 3 in Lahore.
The final will also have a reserve day on May 4.
A total of 12 double-headers are scheduled during the tournament, including three at Gaddafi Stadium, reflecting the PCB’s attempt to maximize fan engagement and broadcast viewership.
Lahore remains centerpiece venue
Gaddafi Stadium will remain the centerpiece of the competition, hosting 15 matches, including the opening fixture and the final.
The venue previously hosted the first PSL match on Pakistani soil — the 2017 final — after the tournament’s early editions were played largely in the United Arab Emirates due to security concerns. It has since hosted several finals, including the 2022, 2023 and 2025 editions.
Lahore Qalandars, winners of three of the last four titles, will play at least five matches at the stadium, including a highly anticipated clash with Karachi Kings on March 29, one of the league’s most closely followed rivalries.
Historic return for Peshawar
In a major development for cricket in Pakistan’s northwest, Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, formerly known as Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium, will host its first PSL match on March 28, when Peshawar Zalmi face Rawalpindi Pindiz in an afternoon fixture.
The stadium last hosted an international match 20 years ago, when Pakistan played India in a One-Day International on February 6, 2006, making the PSL match a symbolic return of top-level cricket to the city.
Faisalabad joins PSL map
Another milestone for the league will come at Iqbal Stadium, which will host seven matches in the upcoming season — the first PSL games in the city’s history.
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars will play four matches there, while Peshawar Zalmi will feature in three.
The city’s first PSL match is scheduled for April 9, when Lahore Qalandars take on Islamabad United in an afternoon contest.
Other venues
Multan Cricket Stadium will stage four evening matches, all involving home side Multan Sultans. Their campaign at home begins on April 1 against Hyderabad Kingsmen.
In Karachi, National Bank Stadium — formerly National Stadium — will host six matches. The venue has hosted multiple PSL finals, including those in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2024.
Karachi Kings and Hyderabad Kingsmen will play three matches each at the venue, with the first scheduled for April 8 between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Peshawar Zalmi. A new rivalry between Karachi Kings and Hyderabad Kingsmen is also expected to attract attention when they meet on April 11.
Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, including Qualifier 1, making it the second-busiest venue in the tournament.
Both Islamabad United and Rawalpindi Pindiz will treat the stadium as their home ground, playing six and five matches respectively. The two sides will meet at least twice during the group stage, on April 4 and April 23.
HBL PSL 11
Tournament Dates: 26 March – 3 May 2026
Total Matches: 44
Teams: 8
Venues: 6
Opening Match
• 26 March – Lahore: Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen
Selected Key Fixtures
• 28 March – Peshawar: Peshawar Zalmi vs Rawalpindi Pindiz
• 29 March – Lahore: Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings
• 1 April – Multan: Multan Sultans vs Hyderabad Kingsmen
• 4 April – Rawalpindi: Islamabad United vs Rawalpindi Pindiz
• 8 April – Karachi: Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Peshawar Zalmi
• 9 April – Faisalabad: Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United
• 11 April – Karachi: Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen
• 23 April – Rawalpindi: Islamabad United vs Rawalpindi Pindiz
Playoffs
• 28 April: Qualifier 1
• 30 April: Eliminator
• 2 May: Qualifier 2
Final
• 3 May – Lahore: Final at Gaddafi Stadium
• 4 May: Reserve Day
