PCB announces schedule of HBL PSL 2019

LAHORE: The countdown to the start of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2019 began on Friday as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the schedule of the event, which will kick-off with the tournament opener between defending champions Islamabad United and the sixth team in Dubai on Feb.14 and culminate with the inal in Karachi on March 17.

Thirty-four (34) matches will be played in the fourth edition and for the first time in the short history of this highly successful and much-awaited tournament, lahore and kara chi will share eight matches between them at the backend of the 32-day event.

Karachi’s National Stadium will host the first of their five matches on March 7 when Karachi Kings will take on Peshawar Zalmi under lights. The other four matches will be: Karachi Kings versus Quetta Gladiators on March 10, Qualifier 1 versus Qualifier 2 on March 13, Eliminator 2 on March 15 and the final on March 17.

The iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will be the venue of three matches, namely: Lahore Qalandars versus Islamabad United on March 9, Lahore Qalandars versus the 6th team on March 10 and Eliminator 1 (3v4) on March 12.

All the three matches will be played under floodlights.

In addition to the gaddafi stadium and National Stadium, 14 matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, four matches will be held at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and eight matches will be staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

According to the event format, each side will play the other twice with the top-four after 30 event matches advancing to the play-offs. In the March 13 Qualifier, the tabletoppers will play the second-placed side with the winner progressing to the final.

The losing side will get a second chance to qualify for the final when, in the March 15 2019 Eliminator 2, they will play the winner of 12 March 2019 Eliminator 1, which will be between the third and fourth-placed sides.