KARACHI – The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) begins with an impressive opening ceremony featuring fireworks display at National Stadium in Karachi on Thursday.
A document shedding light on Pakistan’s cricket history marked the opening of the event, followed by Atif Aslam and Aima Baig’s thrilling performance.
Glimpses from the #HBLPSL7 opening ceremony and fireworks 🎆 https://t.co/Wd9lS6yZRc#LevelHai
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) January 27, 2022
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special message to PSL teams was also played in which he urged all the players to fight till the last ball.
An impressive fireworks display also enthralled the cricket fans.
Apna #LevelHai 🎶 #HBLPSL7 pic.twitter.com/VhM1ECZjkQ
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) January 27, 2022
Defending champions Multan Sultans will face off 2020 champions Karachi Kings following a curtain-raiser opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony will begin at 6:30PM while the first match of the tournament will start at 8:00 PM.
However, strict security measures have been taken to tackle any untoward situation as thousands of security officials from different departments will be deployed at the National Stadium and in surrounding areas.
Babar Azam, who made the record for most T20I wins as captain in a calendar year with 20 in 2021, will lead Karachi Kings. Mohammad Rizwan, first-ever batter to score more than 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year, will lead Multan Sultans.
Babar Azam: “I am very excited to be leading Karachi Kings this season. This is the first instance that I will be captaining a side in the HBL PSL and I am looking forward to it.
“The first match of the tournament always has a lot of eyeballs and Multan Sultans can prove to be a tough opposition. I am sure the fans will get to see a thrilling contest.
“Peter Moores is a seasoned coach and I have had fruitful discussions with him. Karachi Kings will display good, competitive cricket this season.”
Mohammad Rizwan: “We have all the potential to defend our HBL PSL title and we will be taking the field tomorrow with that mind set. This season will present us new challenges and we will have to plan accordingly.
“Babar Azam is a wonderful batter and captain, and his leadership will certainly have a good impact on Karachi Kings. I am hopeful that the HBL PSL 7 will kick off with a great contest between the two sides.”
As per the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) directive, the seating capacity has been reduced to 25 per cent for all matches in Karachi, while a decision on the number of spectators in Lahore to be taken in due course.
