2018 Pakistan Super League
2018 Pakistan Super League was the third season of the Pakistan Super League, a franchise Twenty20 cricket league which was established by the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2015. It featured six teams, which was the first expansion of the league since its formation in 2015. The group stage took place in the United Arab Emirates, with two playoff matches played in Lahore and the final at the National Stadium, Karachi. The tickets for the final were sold out within fifteen hours.
In the final match, the inaugural champions Islamabad United defeated the defending champions Peshawar Zalmi by 3 wickets in Karachi to win the title for a second time. Luke Ronchi of Islamabad United was named the Man of the Match of the Final, as well as the player of the tournament and also the leading run scorer, scoring 435 runs in the tournament. Faheem Ashraf of Islamabad United was awarded the best bowler award; as both he and Wahab Riaz of Peshawar Zalmi took 18 wickets to lead the wicket-takers list.
Background Information
As the 2017 tournament's final was a success with the final being held in the Gaddafi Stadium the PCB decided to play 8 games of PSL 3 in Pakistan. In addition the PCB chairman Najam Sethi confirmed there would be a 6th team being added in the 2018 edition, with the idea having previously been shot down in 2017. There was alot of intrest in what the 6 team would be with the PCB shortlisting Hyderabad, Dera Murad Jamali, FATA, Faisalabad and Multan. However in the end the winning party was Multan with Schön Properties paying $5.2 million a year.Ceremonies
Opening ceremony
American pop singer Jason Derulo featured alongside Pakistani veterans including Abida Parveen, Ali Zafar and Shehzad Roy in the performance at opening ceremony in Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 22 February. Hareem Farooq and Bilal Ashraf were the hosts of the ceremony. The ceremony also featured Pakistani Sachal Orchestra and firework display. Teaser of Zafar's first Pakistani film Teefa in Trouble was also released.Closing ceremony
The Closing ceremony took place at National Stadium, Karachi on 25 March ahead of the final. The ceremony was hosted by Bilal Ashraf. Pakistani singers Ali Zafar, Shehzad Roy, Strings, Aima Baig and Farhan Saeed performed live in front of 33,000 people in the stadium.Teams and squads
The 2018 PSL featured six team franchises, with five teams that appeared in previous seasons; and a new team based in Multan.The player draft for the 2018 season was held in Lahore on 12 November 2017. 501 players, including both Pakistani and international players, were divided into five different categories. Each franchise was allowed to pick a maximum of seven foreign players in their squads, which could have a maximum of 21 members.
Officials
The official pannel for the tournament consisted of Eight umpires and two match referees. Aleem Dar, Ranmore Martinesz and Tim Robinson will stood in matches during the tournament. Pakistani umpires Ahmed Shahab, Shozab Raza, Rashid Riaz, Khalid Mehmood and Asif Yaqoob were also part of the panel as well. The match referees panel consisted of former Sri Lankan ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama and Pakistani match referee Mohammad Anees.Venues
Like the 2016 and 2017 seasons, most of the matches of 2018 season were played in the UAE. However, the [|playoffs] and final took place in Pakistan; they were played in Lahore and Karachi. Each foreign cricketer who played matches in the country was an paid extra for each of these matches.The International Cricket Council security team visited National Stadium, Karachi, on 23 October, to ensure its condition.The chairman of the PCB Najam Sethi was quoted on 22 November saying "that the renovation of stadium will be completed in February 2018, to host the PSL Final." The tickets for the final were sold out within 3 hours.
Promotion in media
The league was promoted on social media by hashtag #HBLPSL 2018, due to its three-year contract with HBL Pakistan for title sponsorship. Also, the six teams are promoted by #AbKhel6Ka. It was also promoted by #DilSeJaanLagaDe, the hashtag for the league's official anthem by Ali Zafar.Format
Points table
- Source:
- The top 4 teams qualified for the playoffs
- Advanced to [|Qualifier]
- Advanced to [|Eliminator 1]
League stage
Summary
Week 1
The month long tournament began with the defending champions Peshawar Zalmi playing the new team Multan Sultans. The Sultans' won the game by 7 wickets winning on their PSL debut. The next day the Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators kicked off a double header with Karachi winning by 19 runs. In the 2nd part of the double header Multan continued their unbeaten record helped by a Junaid Khan hat-trick to win by 43 runs. The next day the defending champions Peshawar got their first win of the tournament against Islamabad and Umaid Asif took a 4-fer on debut to consign Islamabad to a 34 run defeat. On the same day Quetta Gladiators quickly chased down 119 inside 14 overs against the Lahore Qalandars. The day after the Multan Sultans' winning run came to an end against Islamabad United with United winning by 5 wickets. In the next game despite Dwayne Smith's 71 not out the Karachi Kings chased down 131 to beat Peshawar by 5 wickets. In the 8th match Lahore's poor form continued losing their third consecutive game in the tournament. Which they lost to their rivals the Karachi Kings who won by 27 runs with Shahid Afridi taking 3-19. The last game of week 1 involved Islamabad United and the Quetta Gladiators with the gladiators winning comfortably by 6 wickets in the first game of the tournament in Sharjah.Week 2
Week 2 started on a high with Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators. In the game the Zalmi captain Daren Sammy was earlier taken off with an injury but with his team in need of runs, he came out despite being injured and hit 2 sixes and a four scoring 16 off 4 to get Zalmi a win. The next game was washed out by rain. The game afterwards was the first in PSL history to finish with a super over as both teams were tied on 121. In Lahore's over they finished with 15/1 and in Karachi's over they got 19/0 winning the game on the last ball. The game after was more straightforward with an Imran Tahir hat-trick downing quetta and giving multan the win. The game after made hitory, Peshawar Zalmi chased down 101 without losing a wicket. The next day, Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by 8 wickets with help from a Luke Ronchi 71. A Sohaib Maqsood* carried the Multan Sultans' to another win against Peshawar Zalmi, this time by 19 runs. The day after Umar Gul rolled back the years taking 6/24 for the Multan Sultans', but the effort was in vain as the then pakistan under 19 captain Hasan Khan launched a last over 6 to give quetta a 2 wicket win. The last day of week 2 was a double header. In the first game a Luke Ronchi 77 helped Islamabad beat Lahore by 6 wickets. In the second game Quetta beat Karachi by 67 runs. This was at the time the biggest win by runs in PSL history.Week 3
In game 20, future Pakistan international Shaheen Shah Afridi took 5/4 in his 3.4 overs against the Multan Sultans' to end the Lahore Qalandars loosing streak and help them register their first PSL win of the season. In game 21 despite 3/30 and 33 not out from Wahab Riaz Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 26 runs taking Islamabad to the top of the table. The day after was a double header, with a Joe Denly 77 from 55 balls helping the Karachi Kings to a comfortable win over Multan by 63 runs. The second game of the day involved Peshawar and Quetta, with a Sarfaraz Ahmed 45* guiding Quetta home with 6 wickets to spare and eliminating Lahore in the process. A super over was needed again to separate Lahore and Karachi with them both being tied 163 after both of their 20 overs. In the end though Sunil Narine held his nerve in the super over to give Lahore their second win of the season. A crucial encounter followed 2 days later, with Islamabad and Multan facing off at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In the end though despite 73 of 47 from Kieron Pollard Islamabad won by 33 runs meaning that they and Quetta both advanced to the playoffs. In the next game, Lahore continued their winning run against Quetta thanks to 94 of 50 from Fakhar Zaman. In game 27 Peshawar beat Karachi helped by 75 by Kamran Akmal and 3/17 from Liam Dawson keeping Peshawar in the tournament. Islamabad continued their winning run in game 28 ensuring that they finish top of the table by beating Quetta by 6 wickets.Week 4
Week 4 only consisted of 2 games as the tournament moved from the League stage to the knockouts. In the penultimate game the Lahore Qalandars scored 172 in their innings against Peshawar. In response a brutal Kamran Akmal scored his 2nd century in the PSL becoming the first player to do it and guiding Peshawar into the playoffs with a win. While in the final game taking place on the same day Islamabad United collapsed to 121 allowing the Karachi Kings to claim a playoff spot and eliminate the Multan Sultans in the process.Table of results
League progression
Fixtures
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Playoffs
Preliminary
Qualifier 1
The qualifiers meant the top two teams on the table, Karachi and Islamabad, would face off. Karachi Kings won the toss and chose to bat first. One of the openers Khurram Manzoor, got out early while the other Joe Denly got his half century before getting out hit-wicket. Their number 3 batsman Babar Azam also got out cheaply as he got out second ball for a silver duck. Next came in Karachi's captain Eoin Morgan who made 21 before being sent back to the pavalion. The top-scorer of the kings innings was Colin Ingram with an unbeaten 61 helping Karachi get to 150. The pick of the bowlers was the former Pakistan international Mohammad Sami with 2-20. In response the game never looked in doubt as a quickfire 94 not out from Luke Ronchi sent Islamabad to the final. Ronchi was well supported by the other opener Sahibzada Farhan who made 29 with Samit Patel hitting the winning runs, to get the fastest victory in terms of balls remaining ever in the PSL.Eliminator
The eliminator put the teams in 3rd and 4th against each other, with these being Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators. The two teams previously played against each other in the year before's final. Quetta Gladiators won the toss and chose to field. The Gladiators dismissed the Zalmi openers quite cheaply with Kamran Akmal out for a duck. Andre Fletcher came in but was soon sent back to the pavilion as well for a single run. Liam Dawson and Mohammed Hafeez steadied the ship for Zalmi with 62 and 25 respectively to help get Peshawar over 150. Rahat Ali was the pick of the bowlers with 4-16. In response both of Quetta's openers fluctuated and were both out cheaply. Afterwards twin 35's from the gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz brought some stability to their innings. Going in to the final over it looked like the game was over for the gladiators who needed 25 off it. However Anwar Ali scored 23 of the first five balls against Liam Dawson meaning Quetta needed 3 off the last ball to win a dropped catch followed but Mir Hamza was ran out trying to get back for 2 and draw the game. This meant Peshawar Zalmi won by 1 run having previously lost twice to the Quetta by a run. All of Zalmi's bowlers took 2 wickets except Dawson with Hasan Ali and Sameen Gul both taking 2-21.Eliminator 2
The second qualifier put the loser of the eliminator the Karachi Kings against the winner of the first qualifier Peshawar Zalmi. The game got off to a late start due to rain which meant that both teams innings were reduced to 16 overs. Karachi Kings won the toss and decided to field first. Both of Zalmi's openers got off to a good start with Andre Fletcher making 34 and Kamran Akmal smashing a quick half-century. Zalmi's middle order supported Akmal helping him finish on 77 Zalmi on 170 with Ravi Bopara taking the most wickets with 3-35. In response one of Karachi's openers, Joe Denly scored 79 not out from 46 and he was well supported by Babar Azam who made 63 of 46 before getting out to Hasan Ali in the end though Zalmi won by 13 runs and went through to the final. Sameen Gul was the pick of the bowlers conceding just 20.Final
The final took place at National Stadium, Karachi, after the semi finals which had taken place in Lahore, with it being the first high-profile match in the stadium in 10 years. Peshawar won the toss an elected to bat, there innings started badly with Kamran Akmal and Andre Flecher getting out cheaply. Mohammed Hafeez came in next but was soon back in the pavilion only scoring 8. Zalmi recovered with Liam Dawson and Chris Jordan both scoring thirties with Jordan scoring 36 and Dawson 33. After they both departed Zalmi's lower middle orde collapesed before a late onslaught from Wahab Riaz got Zalmi close to 150. The pick of the bowlers was Shahdab Khan with 3-25. In response Islamabad got off to a good start with Luke Ronchi and Sahibzada Farhan scoring big. Ronchi got his half-century before getting out on 52, while Farhan scored 44 before losing his wicket. With Islamabad near their target a middle order collapse followed with 5 batsman only contributing 20 runs. However in the end 3 sixes in a row from Asif Ali got united over the line.Awards and statistics
Most runs
- Luke Ronchi of Islamabad United received the Green Cap.
Most wickets
- Faheem Ashraf of Islamabad United received the Maroon Cap.