Sharjah cricket stadium gears up for PSL 2018

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: The third Pakistan Super League takes off February 22 with the new sixth team, Multan Sultans, mentored by former national skipper Wasim Akram adding further zest to the format. The other five teams are the Peshawar Zalmis, Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United.

Following the draft on November 12 in Lahore the evenly balanced teams will make for a very exciting competition and it will be difficult to guess who will emerge first among equals.

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Sharjah, the iconic venue and the world’s number one stadium in the world for one-dayers, will host 13 matches starting February 28 through to March 4 and then again March 13 to March 16. Over these nine days, March 2^nd and 3^rd and March 15^th and 16^th will be doubleheaders. Tickets sales are already doing brisk business.

As the stadium gears for what should be full houses every day the excitement and anticipation this facility generates is palpable.

Commenting on the hosting of this prestigious tournament, the Vice Chairman of the Sharjah Cricket Club Waleed Bukhatir expressed his delight that the PSL had returned to Sharjah.

“The top players in the world congregate once again at the stadium,” he said. ‘For over thirty-five years ever since that historic match between the Gavaskar XI and the Miandad XI in 1981 our aim has been to invite the best of the world to enjoy the magic that makes Sharjah such an epic venue for cricket.  Once again, we have 13 games of what I believe will all be too close to call.”

Getting the act together on the spot, Sharjah Cricket Club General Manager Mazhar Khan added that the pitches are being prepared with the T20 in mind and will deliver.  “We want the fans to get their money’s worth and ensure that every game is an experience. That is what Sharjah does; it gives cricket that extra boost. And with the top players taking part, the lovers of cricket are in for a great treat.”

The tournament will get off to a start with the opening ceremony at the Dubai cricket stadium on Feb 22 followed by the first match between Peshawar Zalmi and newcomers Multan Sultans.

Among the foreign players drafted into the League are Samuel Badree, Andre Russel, LukeRonchi for Islamabad United. Ravi Bopara, Lendl Simmons and Eoin Morgan for Karachi Kings. , Shakib al Hasan, Darren Sammy, Chris Jordan, Mohammad Asghar and Dwayne Bravo will do duty for Peshawar Zalmi while Kevin Pietersen and Shane Watson will wear the colours of Quetta Gladiators. On the field for Lahore Qalanders are Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum and MustafizurRehman. Multan Sultans bring to bear the might of Kieron Pollard, Kumar Sangakkara and Darren Bravo.