KARACHI: The fourth edition of HBL Pakistan Super League got off to a glitzy start even as American rapper Pitbull pulled out of the opening ceremony hours before it began at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday night.
The opening game was preceded by an action-packed, star-studded opening ceremony in Dubai. However, the biggest star – Pitbull – was missing with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announcing that he will be unable to perform on Thursday evening following a technical issue to his plane which was scheduled to transport him into Dubai.
The PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani kicked-off the event with thanking the commercial partners and the fans who extended their support to the league.
Europe's The Final Countdown — was played after Mani's speech. The musical night began with the tune of the 1992 World Cup. Boney M performed on their famous track: Daddy Cool.
Former president General (retd) Pervaiz Musharraf was also present among the attendees. Followed by the performances of the international artists, Aima Baig and Shuja Haider came on the main stage to kick off the performances of Pakistani artistes. The Junoon band electrified the stadium with their 'Jazba Junoon'. The vocalist Ali Azmat and the band mesmerised the crowd.
Fawad Khan was the showstopper of the evening with his performance of the PSL's anthem of the Fourth edition. During the ceremony, players of all the six franchises entered the stadium along with their respective team managements.
The PSL-4 will feature 30 league matches and run for over a month from February 14 to March 17. It will feature six teams – Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, Lahore Qalandars, and Islamabad United in action.