Pakistan Super League 2018.
The wait is almost over.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
9th February 2018
Ceremony Schedule
The who, what, where, when and how of the events organized for the most anticipated night of the year!
Hoisting of the flags of Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates : 6-6:10 PM
The national anthem of Pakistan : 6:15-6:25 PM
Welcome speech by the chief guest, H E Sheikh Mubarak bin Zayed al Nahyan : 6:30-6:40 PM
Unveiling of the trophy and speech by the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi : 6:45-7 PM
Months
Days
Hours
Minutes
2
3
8
00
Left for the Opening Ceremony
(As of 7th November 2017 - 10 AM)
Dubai International Cricket Stadium
The wait for the most awaited and highly anticipated tournament is almost near its end. The third season of the Pakistan Super League will be played in Pakistan and the UAE in 2018. The league will mark its beginning with a grand opening ceremony held in the heart of the Emirates, Dubai.
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The event will begin with the hoisting of the flags of Pakistan and UAE, followed by the national anthem of Pakistan. The chief guest of the night, the head of the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Social Development, H E Sheikh Mubarak bin Zayed al Nahyan, will address the crowd shortly after.
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The winning trophy shall then be revealed by Sheikh Mubarak and the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi. The chairman will also address the crowd. An athlete's march will follow with the teams that are to take part in the tournament.
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A thrilling live concert with performances by the heartthrobs of Pakistan; Atif Aslam, Shehzad Roy, and Ali Zafar, will be held followed with appearances from renowned Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and cricketers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
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A beautiful firework and light show will mark the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the first battle for the trophy.
The Opening Ceremony
9th February 2018
6-10 PM
Athlete march by all team members and captains : 7:10-7:25 PM
Live performances by renowned Pakistani singers Atif Aslam, Shehzad Roy, and Ali Zafar : 7:30-9 PM
Celebrity appearances by Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, and Pakistani cricketers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis : 9:15-9:30 PM
A firework and light show to mark the end of the ceremony : 9:40-10 PM
Pakistan Super League
The Pakistan Super League is a cricket league played in the Twenty-20 format endorsed and organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The league consists of 5 teams, namely; ‘Islamabad United’, ‘Karachi Kings’, ‘Lahore Qalandars’, ‘Peshawar Zalmi’, and ‘Quetta Gladiators’.
The first and second seasons of the league were played in the United Arab Emirates in 2016 and 2017 and won by 'Islamabad United' and 'Peshawar Zalmi' respectively. A third season has been scheduled to start in 2018; introducing a 6th team to the series, 'Multan Sultans'.
Similar to 2016 and 2017 seasons, the 2018 season of the league will be played in the UAE, while some matches are scheduled to be played in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan.
Gallery
Some images from the 2016 and 2017 seasons of the Pakistan Super League
The Peshawar Zalmi players celebrate a wicket © Chris Whiteoak
The Islamabad United players line up for Pakistan's national anthem © Chris Whiteoak
The Quetta Gladiators players get together after a wicket © Chris Whiteoaka
Islamabad United celebrate winning the inaugural PSL © PSL
2017
Darren Sammy, captain of Peshawar Zalmi, takes a selfie with groundstaff © AFP
Lahore fans express their delight at cricket's return to Pakistan during the final © AFP
Peshawar Zalmi celebrate their victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 2017 PSL Final © AFP
2016
Sarfraz Ahmed, captain of Quetta Gladiators, has a word with young left-arm spinner Hasan Khan © PCB/PSL
