Foreign players start arriving for PSL-VI

KARACHI: The cricket fever is returning to Karachi as foreign players have started arriving in the port city to feature in the HBL PSL-6 which will explode into action here at the National Stadium from February 20.

Karachi Kings’ three foreign players, Colin Ingram of South Africa, rookie left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad of Afghanistan and the West Indies stumper Chadwick Walton, have arrived. Kings’ head coach Herschelle Gibbs and their Scotish assistant coach Dougie Brown, having played both for England and Scotland, have also arrived.

Kings will begin their title defence when they take on Quetta Gladiators on February 20 in the inaugural game of the country’s marquee event being held on home soil for the second successive year.

Former champions Peshawar Zalmi’s head coach Darren Sammy was scheduled to reach Karachi Friday night. Zalmi’s English batting allrounder Ravi Bopara will arrive on Saturday (today) while Mujeeb-ur-Rehman of Afghanistan and Sherfane Rutherford of the West Indies will land here on Sunday (tomorrow) to join Zalmi.

Zalmi’s skipper Wahab Riaz, Shoaib Malik, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Irfan and Kamran Akmal have joined their squad here.

The players will undergo Covid tests and those who cleared it would become part of the bio-secure bubble.

Former winners Quetta Gladiators’s Chris Gayle and young Test cricketer Qais Ahmed of Afghanistan will arrive on Saturday (today), a source in the Gladiators confirmed.

“Barring Pakistan team players who are busy in the T20 series against South Africa in Lahore, the home-based players will also assemble here tomorrow. Pakistan team players will arrive on Monday,” the Gladiators source said.

The 30-day, 34-match event will culminate with the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 22. It will be the first time Lahore will stage the final since hosting it in 2017.

Because of the Covid issue this time the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to host the event in Karachi and Lahore.

Karachi will host 20 matches from February 20 to March 7 which will include six double headers.

Lahore will host the remaining 14 matches from March 10 to 22 which include three double headers.

The franchises will begin their training sessions from February 15. The wickets of the venue are being prepared. A very lush green outfield has already been developed which will bear the burden of hosting 20 matches successively within a space of 16 days.