The HBL Pakistan Tremendous League made historical past with a spectacular unveiling of its landmark tenth version trophy, Luminara, in Karachi’s coastal waters on Thursday night.
This unprecedented transfer marks a brand new milestone within the league’s legacy, symbolising innovation, resilience, brilliance, and the spirit of Pakistan’s premier T20 competitors.
The disclosing was carried out within the open waters of the Arabian Sea, the place knowledgeable diver recovered a treasure chest from the deep sea with the assist of the Pakistan Navy and handed over the prized trophy to HBL PSL stakeholders current in Karachi.
The narrative signifies a wide ranging show symbolising the league’s depth, evolution, and unwavering spirit. This distinctive spectacle was witnessed by HBL and PCB officers, franchise representatives, and cricketers additional amplifying the thrill main as much as HBL PSL X.
Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi mentioned on the event, “The disclosing of ‘Luminara’ at sea is a testomony to the league’s dedication to innovation and excellence. As we have a good time a decade of HBL PSL, this trophy represents the league’s shining legacy and its brilliant future.”
The tenth version of HBL PSL is about to happen in 4 cities – Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi from 11 April to 18 Could. The opening match might be performed between the defending champions Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars on the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
In the meantime, the first-ever trophy tour within the historical past of HBL PSL will begin as we speak from Hyderabad and Karachi, with ‘Luminara’ scheduled to journey to 11 cities throughout Pakistan until 29 March, the PCB introduced as we speak.
The Luminara trophy might be displayed at numerous places throughout Karachi and Hyderabad within the first leg of its tour on March 14 and 15 earlier than heading to Lahore, the place it would keep till March 17.
The trophy will then make a one-day go to to Multan, Bahawalpur and Faisalabad on March 18, 19 and 20 respectively earlier than touring Peshawar on March 22.
The primary leg of the historic trophy tour will finally conclude on March 23, with Luminara making a cease on the capital metropolis, Islamabad.
PSL may characteristic two extra groups from subsequent version
The eleventh version of the Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL), scheduled for subsequent yr, could develop to incorporate eight groups, in accordance with match COO Salman Naseer.
The PSL, Pakistan’s premier T20 league, was first launched in 2016 with 5 groups: Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, and Quetta Gladiators. In 2018, the league grew to 6 groups with the addition of Multan Sultans.
Since then, the PSL has been performed with six groups, although discussions about increasing the league have surfaced periodically. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had beforehand introduced that the tenth version of the match, set for this yr, could be the final to characteristic six groups, with two new groups anticipated within the 2026 version.
Nevertheless, the most recent improvement signifies that the league may introduce two extra groups sooner. Salman Naseer, who grew to become the COO of PSL in November 2024, supplied an replace on the league’s growth. He talked about that the addition of two extra groups may happen as early as the tip of this yr.
“By the tip of this yr, we would get two extra groups,” Naseer advised native media on Thursday.
He defined that the PSL’s journey started when cricket was largely absent from Pakistan, and the problem was to deliver it again. With cricket now efficiently restored to conventional facilities, Naseer emphasised that the subsequent step was to develop past the present cities of Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Multan.
The PSL, sometimes held through the February-March window, now faces powerful competitors from different T20 leagues comparable to South Africa’s SA20 and the UAE’s Worldwide League T20, each influenced by the financially highly effective Indian Premier League (IPL).
“This yr might be an attention-grabbing take a look at, and with extra groups, we anticipate a much bigger window,” Naseer added.
“A few of our rights are up for valuation after this PSL. Lots will rely upon the info we collect,” he concluded.