The excitement for the highly anticipated HBL Pakistan Super League 9 just heated up with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiling the official match officials. With the tournament kicking off on February 17th and running until March 18th across four vibrant venues, a stellar team of umpires and match referees will ensure fair play and a thrilling cricketing experience.
The tournament schedule sees Lahore and Multan hosting the initial set of 14 matches from February 17th to 27th. The action then shifts to Karachi and Rawalpindi, where 16 matches will be played between February 28th and March 12th. Match officials for the crucial Qualifier, Eliminators, and Final, scheduled for March 14th to 18th in Karachi, will be announced closer to the date.
Adding gravitas to the matches are four renowned umpires from the ICC Elite Panel: Richard Illingworth, Chris Gaffaney, Ahsan Raza, and Michael Gough. They will be joined by an accomplished group of local umpires including Abdul Moqeet, Aleem Dar, Tariq Rasheed, Shozab Raza, Rashid Riaz, Faisal Afridi, and Muhammad Asif. International experience further enriches the panel with Ruchira Palliyaguruge from Sri Lanka, Asif Yaqoob from Pakistan (now residing in the UAE), Alex Wharf from England, and Nasir Hussain from Pakistan (now residing in the USA).
Among the highlights, New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney makes his HBL PSL debut, taking charge of the much-anticipated clash between Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings on February 18th. Guiding the fair play through the tournament is a distinguished team of match referees led by the experienced Roshan Mahanama, ably supported by Ali Naqvi and Muhammad Javed. Mahanama, a former member of the ICC Elite Panel, boasts extensive experience with 97 HBL PSL matches under his belt.
The tournament kicks off with a bang on February 17th at the Lahore Qalandars’ home ground, with the iconic Aleem Dar and Michael Gough presiding over the exciting encounter between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United. Joining them will be Tariq Rasheed as the TV umpire, Shozab Raza as the reserve umpire, and Muhammad Javed as the match referee.
With the announcement of these distinguished match officials, the anticipation for HBL PSL 9 reaches a fever pitch. Cricket fans can now look forward to a tournament filled with fair play, exciting rivalries, and top-notch cricketing action, expertly overseen by a team of renowned professionals. Be sure to mark your calendars, because the HBL PSL 9 promises to be an unforgettable spectacle!
