HBL PSL off to a glitzy start in Dubai

DUBAI: From Calgary to Singapore and from Sydney to Manchester, millions of cricket fans across the globe tuned their TV sets to catch on the HBL Pakistan Super League action as the T20 league got off to a flying start in Dubai on Thursday night.

They were joined by millions more from Pakistan, who were treated to an impressive ceremony that preceded the tournament-opening match featuring defending champions Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi.

Jamaican reggae singer Shaggy was the star performer of the night along with Pakistani pop icon Ali Zafar.There were traditional dances and songs from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KPK.

Shaharyar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was confident that PSL 2 will be a bigger hit than last year’s inaugural edition stressing that, “success of this season will enable us to open our gates to international cricket in Pakistan. The final will be played in Lahore, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Najam Sethi, the PSL chairman, echoed the message as a packed house at Dubai Sports City gave a big round of applause.

With the glitzy show over, the real thing began when the two teams — Islamabad and Peshawar — took the field to warm up for the opening game of the tournament.

A host of international stars including Shane Watson and Brad Haddin (Islamabad) and Darren Sammy and Eoin Morgan (Peshawar) were part of the opening night’s cast.

There are many more with New Zealand star Brendon McCullum the most notable addition this season. Also part of the league’s stellar cast are Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen along with Sri Lankan maestros Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.