The Pakistan Super League's 2023 edition started with a bang, literally, as defending champions Lahore Qalandars faced Multan Sultans at the Multan Stadium on Monday.
The start of the match had to be delayed after a spectacular fireworks show ended up damaging a part of one of the light towers.
Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will also host matches in season eight of the tournament, with the final set to take place on March 19 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The biggest news of the tournament was the return to fitness of Pakistan's premier fast bowler Shaheen Afridi. The left-arm quick has been out of action for months after the T20 World Cup final against England where he aggravated a knee injury.
“There were times when I wanted to give up,” Afridi said. “I was working on only one muscle and it was not improving. Often during the rehabilitation sessions, I used to say to myself ‘this is enough, I cannot do this any more’.”
But he did make a return to the playing field, much to the relief of Qalandars, who he had guided to the title last year.
Also, national team captain Babar Azam will be leading Peshawar Zalmi this term, having played for Karachi Kings last year.
What is the prize money for Pakistan Super League 2023?
This year, the winning team will take home a grand prize of 120 million Pakistani rupees ($450,000). The runners-up will receive 48m rupees ($180,000).
Top prize money for winning teams in cricket:
1. 50-over World Cup: $4 million for winners
2. Indian Premier League: $2.4 million
3. T20 World Cup: $1.6 million
4. World Test Championship: $1.6 million
5. Bangladesh Premier League: $850,000
6. DP World International League T20: $700,000
7. Pakistan Super League: $450,000
8. Big Bash League: $310,000
9. T20 Blast: $210,000
10. The Hundred: $180,000 each to the winning men's and women's teams
Note: Women's Premier League 2023 prize money has not been announced yet.
PSL 2022 team of the tournament
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1. Mohammed Rizwan (Multan Sultans, 546 runs, 68.25 average, 126.68 strike rate) Is there any more captivating cricketer at present? Perhaps only Shaheen Shah Afridi. AFP -
2. Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars, 588 runs, 45.23 average, 152.72 strike rate) Leading runscorer, with eight scores over 50 in 13 innings. AFP -
3. Shoaib Malik (Peshawar Zalmi, 401 runs, 44.55 average, 137.32 strike rate) Time has no effect on the Peshawar batter. Commendably consistent. EPA -
4. Shadab Khan (Islamabad United, 268 runs, 33.5 average, 162.42 strike rate; 19 wickets, 6.42 economy rate) A fine leader, scored runs, and only Shaheen Afridi took more wickets. AFP -
5. Rilee Rossouw (Multan Sultans, 275 runs, 167.68 strike rate) Multan’s excellence was powered by the middle-order engine room of Rossouw and Tim David. AFP -
6. Tim David (Multan Sultans, 278 runs, 194.40 strike rate) The Singapore player hit the most sixes in the competition – one every 6.8 deliveries on average. AFP -
7. Khushdil Shah (Multan Sultans, 153 runs, 182.14 strike rate; 16 wicket, 6.89 economy rate) Played his role perfectly for the league’s most consistent side. AFP -
8. Rashid Khan (Lahore Qalandars, 13 wickets, 6.25 economy rate) A guard of honour when he left, and Qalandars attempted to fly him back from national duty for the final, too. AFP -
9. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Lahore Qalandars, 20 wickets, 7.57 economy rate) World cricket’s golden boy became a PSL winning skipper aged just 21 – a record for leading franchise events. AFP -
10. Zaman Khan (Lahore Qalandars, 18 wickets, 8.26 economy rate) Only Shaheen and Shadab took more wickets than the 20-year old, and he sent down two maidens, too. AFP -
11. Naseem Shah (Quetta Gladiators, 14 wickets, 8.01 economy rate) Remarkable to think this tournament marked a comeback of sorts. He did only turn 19 during it. AFP -
12th man. Shan Masood (Multan Sultans, 478 runs, 39.83 average, 138.15 strike rate) Dovetails so well with Rizwan – the player who replaced him as Multan captain. AFP
