Most foreign players to reach Pakistan a week before PSL action begins

KARACHI: Foreign players participating in Pakistan Super League (PSL) except those from Australia, South Africa and England will join their teams at least one week before the matches begin, The News has learnt on Tuesday.

This is the first time that all PSL matches are going to be played in the country. Sources involved in the preparation for PSL said the teams would train and practise at NSK and a stadium owned by a bank under tight security arrangements.

Players from the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh will start reaching Pakistan at least one week before the matches. The players from Australia, England and South Africa will arrive three days before the matches begin.

The PCB aims to make PSL’s inauguration ceremony in Karachi a memorable event and boost Pakistan’s image as a peace-loving country. A PCB marketing team visited National Stadium last week to review the arrangements for the inauguration ceremony.

The PCB released the title song of PSL 2020 on Tuesday. A PCB official said that the official anthem of HBL Pakistan Super League 2020, “Tayyar Hain” was released across the country. The song is the result of a collaboration of famous pop star Ali Azmat, folk music legend Arif Lohar, former Awaz singer Haroon Rashid and famous pop artist Asim Azhar. They will perform at the opening ceremony in Karachi, which is also likely to feature showbiz peronalities such as Mahira Khan and Mehvish Hayat.

Interestingly, no PCB official was willing to confirm the participation of any female leading artist. PCB’s media wing leak information about important matters to their favourite reporters but are unwilling to share such information. Despite several attempts, PCB officials did not reveal the names of people who are going to perform at the opening ceremony.