KARACHI: The sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has started with a glittering opening ceremony with an entertainment-packed event, including famous artists, Atif Aslam, Imran Khan, Humaima Malick, Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday.
According to details, Singer Atif Aslam was the first to perform and he began with his famous song ‘Aadat’ that brought him to the limelight more than a decade ago.
International singer Imran Khan raised the roof next with the ‘Amplifier’ song, with actress Humaima Malick performing next to him. Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and the Young Stunners brought an end to the performances in style by grooving to the official anthem of this season’s HBL PSL.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani while welcoming international players to the country. He said, “We expected that you will take back very fond memories of your stay here and look forward to seeing you again next year.”
Ehsan Mani also thanked the fans for making PSL a success, while also expressing his gratitude to the sponsors of the tournament. “Matches are only being played in Karachi and Lahore. Only 7,500 people will be able to attend matches in Karachi and 5,500 in Lahore due to the COVID-19,” he said.
The tournament would not have been possible without the cooperation of the provincial governments and law enforcement agencies, he added.
On this occasion, HBL CEO Mohammad Aurangzeb said, “We missed the fans last year and some would argue the energy associated with having a full stadium. However, from my perspective, stadiums are where the fans are, whether they are in the stands or watching from the comfort of their homes,” he said.
The contest between the Kings and Gladiators at Karachi’s National Stadium is scheduled to start at 8:00 pm after the opening ceremony and fireworks. Moreover, with batting powerhouse on both sides, the opening fixture is likely to provide some good display of hard-hitting.
Squads:
Quetta Gladiators: Anwar Ali, Azam Khan, Ben Cutting, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Zahid Mahmood, Chris Gayle, Tom Banton, Usman Khan Shinwari, Cameron Delport, Qais Ahmad, Abdul Nasir, Saim Ayub, Arish Ali Khan, Usman Khan, Hassan Khan (as partial replacement for Dale Steyn).
Karachi Kings: Amir Yamin, Arshad Iqbal, Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Sharjeel Khan, Waqas Maqsood, Mohammad Nabi, Dan Christian, Chadwick Walton, Joe Clarke, Noor Ahmad, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Ilyas, Zeeshan Malik, Qasim Akram
