Entire PSL to be played in Pakistan for the first time

For the first time in history, the entire Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be played in Pakistan, the cricketing board of the country revealed on Wednesday.

The tournament will be played from February 20 and March 22 and four cities in the country will be hosting the games.

PSL will comprise 34 matches this year and the schedule has been released 50 days prior to the start of the competition.

"After bringing Test cricket back to Pakistan, hosting of the entire HBL Pakistan Super League is our other major achievement. I never had any doubts it was Pakistan's league and should be played in front of home crowds," PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said in an official statement.

"We had made this commitment to the people of Pakistan at the end of last year's event and I am pleased today we have announced the event schedule with four centres to share the 34 event matches between them," he added.

The first match of the tournament will see defending champions Quetta Gladiators compete against Islamabad United.

The National Stadium in Karachi will be hosting the qualifier match between the top two teams from the group stage, whereas Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host two eliminators and the final of the tournament.

Of the 34 matches, National Stadium will stage nine matches and Gaddafi Stadium will play host to 14 matches.

Multan Sultans will play three games at the Multan Cricket Stadium, while Pindi Cricket Stadium will be the venue for eight matches.

Gladiators will play three matches in Lahore, four in Karachi, one in Multan and two in Rawalpindi; while Peshawar Zalmi, the 2017 winners and the 2019 losing finalists, will play one match each in Lahore and Multan, three in Karachi and five in Rawalpindi.