Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars to kick off PSL 2025 on April 11 – final on May 18

The tenth season of the six-team Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin on April 11 with a fixture between defending champions Islamabad United and two-time champions Lahore Qalandars in Rawalpindi. The matches – 34 in total – will be played across Rawalpindi, Karachi, Multan and Lahore, with the playoffs slotted for Rawalpindi (May 13) and Lahore (May 14 and 16) and the final also in Lahore on May 18.

The refurbished Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the most matches, 13, including two of the playoff fixtures and the final, while Rawalpindi will host 11, including the opener and the first qualifier, and Karachi and Multan will host five matches each. There will be a total of three double-headers: Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators in Rawalpindi and Karachi Kings vs Multan Sultans in Karachi on April 12; Sultans vs Kings in Multan and Qalandars vs Gladiators on May 1; Sultans vs Gladiators in Multan and United vs Kings in Rawalpindi on May 10.

“We are thrilled to officially announce the schedule for the historic 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League,” PSL chief executive Salman Naseer said in a PC statement. “Over the past decade, the HBL PSL has grown into a globally recognised tournament, showcasing the best of Pakistan’s cricketing talent.”

This season, there will also be an exhibition match in Peshawar before the start of the tournament – the teams for it have not been announced yet, but it is scheduled for April 8, three days before the start of the tournament proper.

“As part of our commitment to expanding the reach of the HBL PSL, we are delighted to host an exhibition match in Peshawar before the start of the tournament, which is a significant step in bringing top-tier cricket to Peshawar, a city with a deep-rooted love for the game,” Naseer said. “We remain dedicated to enhancing the experience for players, fans, and stakeholders, who have witnessed some breathtaking contests in the league over the years.”

Starting this year, the PSL will be played in an April-May window, clashing with the IPL. This year, the schedule was changed to accommodate the ongoing Champions Trophy, which is being played in the traditional PSL window, but from next year, because the ILT20 and the SA20 have eaten into the PSL window, it will officially move to later dates.

Though the cities for the two new teams have not been announced yet, there could, potentially, be some changes around, since the ten-year lease ownership agreements the PSL had reached with franchise owners expire in 2025. All six owners have the right of first refusal, meaning ownership of a current franchise only goes up for sale in the event of an owner declining to match the franchise’s valuation.