We are in the middle of the T20 season and fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to franchise tournaments.
The exponential growth of T20 cricket means there is some league or another going on in some part of the world for most of the year.
This week, fans will get to enjoy another tournament to feast on with some of the most talented white-ball cricketers in action.
Pakistan has emerged as a stronghold for T20 talent and the Pakistan Super League has become one of the premier franchise tournaments. Players like Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah have become household names across the globe and a lot of credit for that goes to PSL.
Last season was a thriller, with Afridi guiding his Lahore Qalandars to a one-run win over Multan Sultans in the final, making it successive title wins against the same opposition.
As we prepare for the ninth season of PSL this week, here is everything you need to know.
When does PSL 2024 start?
The tournament starts on Saturday, February 17, in Lahore and the final takes place in Karachi on March 18.
Schedule
Teams
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (captain), Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Jordan Cox, Qasim Akram, Faheem Ashraf, Matthew Forde, Hunain Shah, Shamyl Hussain, Salman Ali Agha, Tymal Mills, Rumman Raees, Ubaid Shah, Tom Curran
Quetta Gladiators: Rilee Rossouw (captain), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Jason Roy, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammad Amir, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed, Khawaja Nafay, Sherfane Rutherford, Will Smeed, Sajjad Ali (wk), Omair Bin Yousuf, Akeal Hosein, Usman Qadir, Adil Naz, Sohail Khan
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (captain), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Asif Ali, Aamir Jamal, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Salman Irshad, Mohammad Zeeshan, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Shamar Joseph, Dan Mousley, Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Khurram Shahzad, Umair Afridi, Lungi Ngidi
Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Afridi (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Abdullah Shafique, Rassie van der Dussen, Shai Hope (wk), Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Syed Faridoun, Mirza Tahir Baig, Kamran Ghulam, Dan Lawrence, Ahsan Bhatti, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Imran
Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wk), Reeza Hendricks, Dawid Malan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, David Willey, Usama Mir, Tayyab Tahir, Abbas Afridi, Faisal Akram, Yasir Khan, Usman Khan, Aftab Ibrahim, Chris Jordan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Ali
Karachi Kings: Shan Masood (captain), James Vince, Tim Seifert (wk), Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Irfan Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Amir Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Saad Baig, Mohammad Akhlaq (wk), Daniel Sams, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Sirajuddin
What is new?
For starters, veteran wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been replaced as captain of Quetta, with South African T20 veteran Rilee Rossouw named as skipper. It is a significant move as Sarfaraz had been Quetta's captain for eight seasons.
This year also sees a direct clash between the PSL and the other big league running concurrently – the DP World International League T20 in the UAE. The opening match of PSL is on the day of the final of ILT20 in Dubai. A few players have seen their stints in both tournaments curtailed or affected due to the overlap – a problem that will only grow in the future.
But there is some good news for PSL. Last month, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced that the live-streaming and broadcast rights for PSL over the next two years had witnessed an increase of 113 and 45 per cent. The total value of the new PSL media deal is pegged at $30 million for two years, making it one of the most lucrative assets in cricket.
Prize money
Last season, winners Lahore received a grand prize of 120 million Pakistani rupees ($450,000). Runners-up Multan won 48m rupees ($180,000).
How to watch PSL 2024 in UAE?
Fans can watch PSL on CricLife 1 via the Starzplay app. PSL also upload match highlights to their YouTube channel.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
FIGHT%20CARD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFeatherweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYousuf%20Ali%20(2-0-0)%20(win-loss-draw)%20v%20Alex%20Semugenyi%20(0-1-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBenyamin%20Moradzadeh%20(0-0-0)%20v%20Rohit%20Chaudhary%20(4-0-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHeavyweight%204%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EYoussef%20Karrar%20(1-0-0)%20v%20Muhammad%20Muzeei%20(0-0-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%206%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMarwan%20Mohamad%20Madboly%20(2-0-0)%20v%20Sheldon%20Schultz%20(4-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20featherweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBishara%20Sabbar%20(6-0-0)%20v%20Mohammed%20Azahar%20(8-5-1)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECruiseweight%208%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Bekdash%20(25-0-0)%20v%20Musa%20N%E2%80%99tege%20(8-4-0)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESuper%20flyweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESultan%20Al%20Nuaimi%20(9-0-0)%20v%20Jemsi%20Kibazange%20(18-6-2)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELightweight%2010%20rounds%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EBader%20Samreen%20(8-0-0)%20v%20Jose%20Paez%20Gonzales%20(16-2-2-)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Ferrari
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Mann%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adam%20Driver%2C%20Penelope%20Cruz%2C%20Shailene%20Woodley%2C%20Patrick%20Dempsey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
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INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
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Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
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Notable groups (UAE time)
Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim, Henrik Stenson (12.47pm)
Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (12.58pm)
Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood (1.09pm)
Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Zach Johnson (4.04pm)
Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Adam Scott (4.26pm)
Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy (5.48pm)
