UPDATE: Quetta Gladiators won the opening match of the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL) beating Islamabad United by eight wickets in a one-sided match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Luke Wright played a magnificent unbeaten innings of 86 runs. He hit 11 boundaries and four maximums in the process.
Pakistan’s very first international T20 league, PSL, is kicking off today. The very first match of Pakistan Super League will see Islamabad United facing off against the Quetta Gladiators, and is being held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The Quetta Gladiator team’s lineup includes leader Sarfraz Ahmed with local team members Anwar Ali, Umar Gul, Asad Shafiq, Saad Nasim, Ahmed Shehzad, Zulfiqar Babar, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Nawaz, Bismillah Khan and Akbar-ur-Rehman. International members of the team include Kevin Pietersen and Luke Wright from England, Jason Holder from West Indies, Mohammad Nabi from Afghanistan and Elton Chigumbura of Zimbabwe. Supplementary members include Kumar Sangakkara from Sri Lanka, Aizaz Cheema and Ramiz Raja Jr.
View match highlights below:
Dhuzz, dhuzz, dhuzz!
Check out @lukewright204's greatest hits in the #HBLPSL's first 50! pic.twitter.com/U8kYa28A1k
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
.@TeamQuetta off to a splendid start courtesy @lukewright204! pic.twitter.com/72rO2vMGyJ
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
That moment when Dr. Dre has to listen to his own music. #AbRokKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
DHULLAYIIII! @lukewright204 muscles @TeamQuetta to their 50 off just 23 deliveries. @IsbUnited up against it.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Every fan to take a catch in the stands during the #HBLPSL will share 1 crore rupees of prize money. #AbPakarKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
JACKPOT! One lucky fan has just entered himself in the #CatchACrore bounty with a stunning catch off the second of @TeamQuetta's sixes!
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
And we're off! @TeamQuetta start their chase against the Alam Channa of @IsbUnited, the deadly @M_IrfanOfficial.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
That was quite a cameo by @Russell12A! Here is the innings summary for @IsbUnited #AbKhelKeDikha pic.twitter.com/YnaIds4aJS
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Dubai residents thought they heard a thunderstorm, but it was only the sound of @Russell12A's bat! #DhamakaydarHits pic.twitter.com/wUrYuog7AT
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
The #Gulldozer flattens @IsbUnited's momentum with a canny final over. @TeamQuetta need 129 to post the first win of the #HBLPSL.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
BRUTAL! @Russell12A is lighting up the Dubai night, as well as the @IsbUnited innings. Three figures up for the capital team, 106/6 after 18
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
.@TeamQuetta making all of Baluchistan rejoice tonight! All over @IsbUnited in the early proceedings of the innings. pic.twitter.com/IOc3CxJamu
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
How can @IsbUnited bounce back from this? @TeamQuetta could not have asked for anything more! Update after 15 overs pic.twitter.com/QTVQmfaXSD
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Welcome to the #muhammadnawaz show everyone! The spinner has taken @IsbUnited by storm! #AbKhelKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
.@IsbUnited will need to climb much higher than the Margallas to give @TeamQuetta a fighting total to chase. What's a good score here?
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Have you checked out our amazing Instaplay feature on Facebook? Replay all the major moments at any time. https://t.co/M4VMKvK2iH
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
And once again, Misbah finds himself in a situation he is all too familiar with! Come on skipper! #AbKhelKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Bowled 'im! #MohammadNawaz rattles @ShaneRWatson33's stumps as @TeamQuetta look to boss @IsbUnited.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Good start for @TeamQuetta! Here's the update after the 1st five overs pic.twitter.com/XC8tLdJmiW
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
A lot of firsts tonight. Here is the very first boundary of the #HBLPSL by @ShaneRWatson33 off #AnwarAli. #IUvQG pic.twitter.com/WkgLgNTzpc
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
You got that Wright! @lukewright204 takes the catch off @mdk_gul to dismiss @UmerAmin007. @IsbUnited now two down.
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
.@SharjeelLeo14 hits the first six of the tournament and is caught soon after! What a start! #AbKhelKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
The land of bowling begins its T20 league with a maiden. #KyunkeYehKhelHumaraHai #AbJeetKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
The land of bowling begins its T20 league with a maiden. #KyunkeYehKhelHumaraHai #AbJeetKeDikha
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
.@TeamQuetta won the toss and have put @IsbUnited to bat first! #AbKhelKeDikha pic.twitter.com/PYOdIUIC9j
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 4, 2016
Islamabad United, captained by Misbah-ul-Haq, includes Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Khalid Latif, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Sami, Imran Khalid, Rumman Raees, Umar Amin, Amad Butt and Babar Azam. Also included in the team are Shane Watson and Brad Haddin from Australia, Samuel Badree and Andre Russell of West Indies, and Sam Billings from England. Supplementary cricket players include Saeed Ajmal, Umar Siddiq, and Ashar Zaidi.
Pakistan Super League T20 kicks off today on February 4th, and is scheduled to last on the 23rd of February. The opening ceremony is setup as more of a mela or festival of T20 cricket and is expected to be the biggest and flashiest event in Pakistani cricket history. Ali Zafar will be performing at the PSL opening ceremony today, alongside international hip-hop artist Sean Paul.
All in all, the PSL seems to be off to a promising start, and may just live up to the surrounding hype. You can check out the PSL schedule here.