The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), headed by Mohsin Naqvi, on Tuesday announced the schedule for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The eight-team tournament will begin on March 26, just two days before the upcoming 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Last year, the two T20 tournaments went head-to-head for the first time, and the trend is all set to continue this year. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn’t announced the IPL 2026 schedule yet, but it has confirmed the season will begin on March 28.
While the final of IPL 2026 will be played on May 31, the summit clash of the PSL will go ahead 28 days earlier, on May 3. The schedule for the IPL 2026 edition is expected to be announced in two halves due to the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam. The schedule for the first 20 days is expected to be announced later this week.
There will be a total of 44 matches in the upcoming T20 tournament in Pakistan, played across six venues from March 26 to May 3. The six venues are Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi, with Faisalabad and Peshawar hosting the PSL matches for the first time.
For the first time, eight teams will participate in the competition, and the 11th edition will feature Hyderabad Kingsmen, Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, and Rawalpindi Pindiz.
Among the eight teams, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindi Pindiz are the two new teams added following the PSL auction, acquired for PKR 175 crore and PKR 245 crore, respectively. The tournament opener will be played between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen in Lahore on March 26.
According to the schedule, each team will play 10 matches, with the top four sides qualifying for the playoffs, comprising Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final, scheduled from April 28 to May 3. The final will be played at the PCB headquarters, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on May 3. If rain intervenes in the summit clash, then there’s a reserve day in place (May 4).
The tournament will also feature 12 double-headers, with Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium hosting three. Considering there’s addition of two new teams, Islamabad United and Rawalpindi Pindiz will serve as home sides at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The venue will host six matches of Islamabad United and five matches of Rawalpindi Pindiz. Both teams will square off at least twice in the group stage, with the first match scheduled for April 4 and the second on April 23.
Lahore to host 15 matches
Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host 15 matches, including the opening match of the tournament. The venue had hosted the first PSL match on Pakistan soil (the final) in 2017 and also staged the finals of the 2022, 2023, and 2025 editions.
Lahore Qalandars, the winners of the 2022, 2023 and 2025 editions, will play at least five matches at Gaddafi Stadium, with the much-anticipated clash between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings scheduled for March 29.
