LAHORE: Peshawar will host its first-ever HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) fixture while Faisalabad is also set to join the tournament’s venue roster as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the schedule for the 11th edition of the extravaganza on Tuesday.

The 44-match tournament will be staged across six cities — Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi — from March 26 to May 3, marking a significant geographical expansion of the country’s premier franchise competition.

For the first time, the PSL will feature eight teams, ushering in a new era for the league which recently completed a decade. Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindi Pindiz are the two new franchises added following the latest auction cycle, joining Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators.

A major highlight of the season will be the return of top-tier cricket to Peshawar. The city’s Imran Khan Cricket Stadium — formerly known as Arbab Niaz Stadium — will stage its maiden PSL match on March 28, when Peshawar Zalmi face Rawalpindi Pindiz in an afternoon fixture.

The venue last hosted an international match two decades ago, when Pakistan played India in an ODI in February 2006.

Faisalabad will also enter the PSL map for the first time, with Iqbal Stadium scheduled to host seven matches. The opening fixture in the city will see defending champions Lahore Qalandars take on Islamabad United on April 9. Lahore will play four games at the venue, while 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi will feature in three fixtures there.

The tournament will begin at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on March 26 with Lahore Qalandars facing newcomers Hyderabad Kingsmen. The venue, which hosted the first PSL final on Pakistani soil in 2017, will stage 15 matches in total, including three double-headers and the final. A marquee clash between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings is slated for March 29.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, including one playoff, with Islamabad United and Rawalpindi Pindiz serving as home sides. The two teams will meet twice during the group stage, on April 4 and 23.

Karachi’s National Bank Stadium will stage six matches, beginning with Hyderabad Kingsmen’s meeting with Peshawar Zalmi on April 8, while Multan Cricket Stadium will host four evening games, all involving Multan Sultans, starting April 1 against Hyderabad Kingsmen.

Each team will play 10 league matches, with the top four advancing to the playoffs.

The knockout phase — comprising Qualifier 1, Eliminator and Qualifier 2 — will run from April 28 to May 3. The final will be held at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, May 3, with a reserve day scheduled for May 4.

The upcoming edition will also feature 12 double-headers across the 39-day competition, underscoring what the PCB described as the beginning of a new chapter for the PSL with expanded participation and wider regional representation.

Schedule:
March 27: Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings, Lahore
March 28: Peshawar Zalmi vs Rawalpindi Pindiz, Peshawar
March 28: Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United, Lahore
March 29: Quetta Gladiators vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Lahore
March 29: Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings, Lahore
March 31: Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi
April 1: Multan Sultans vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Multan
April 2: Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators, Rawalpindi
April 2: Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Karachi Kings, Rawalpindi
April 3: Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars, Multan
April 4: Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Islamabad United, Rawalpindi
April: Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators, Multan
April 6: Multan Sultans vs Rawalpindi Pindiz, Multan
April 8: Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi
April 9: Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United, Faisalabad
April 9: ”Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi
April 10: Quetta Gladiators vs Rawalpindi Pindiz, Karachi
April 11: Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars, Faisalabad
April 11: Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi
April 12: Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Islamabad United, Karachi
April 13: Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans, Faisalabad
April 15: Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators, Faisalabad
April 16: Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Rawalpindi Pindiz, Faisalabad
April 16: Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United, Karachi
April 17: Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators, Faisalabad
April 18: Lahore Qalandars vs Rawalpindi Pindiz, Faisalabad
April 19: Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings, Lahore
April 19: Quetta Gladiators vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Lahore
April 21: Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators, Lahore
April 21: Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Multan Sultans, Rawalpindi
April 22: Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Lahore
April 22: Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans, Rawalpindi
April 23: Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Islamabad United, Rawalpindi
April 23: Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings, Lahore
April 24: Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi
April 25: Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings, Lahore
April 25: Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen, Lahore
April 26: Rawalpindi Pindiz vs Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi
April 26: Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans, Rawalpindi
April 28: Quali! er,Rawalpindi
April 29: Eliminator 1, Lahore
May 1: Eliminator 2, Lahore
May 3: Final, Lahore

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2026