PSL 2018: Islamabad, Quetta to face-off each other in a friendly match

The third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will feature six teams battling for the coveted title. The PSL will be held from 22 February 2018 to 25 March 2018 with a majority of the tournament will be played in the United Arab Emirates. However, the last three matches will be played in Karachi and Lahore.

There are a total of 34 matches to be played. Also, a star-studded commentary panel was announced by the PCB. Before the tournament kicks off, the teams Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators decided to take each other on in a friendly encounter with the PSL to be telecast for the first time live in India.

The details about the friendly match

The representatives of Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators have reached the understanding of playing an “All-Stars Muqabla” on February 15 in Rawalpindi. The match will be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium next month. Both these teams have also released a joint statement. It stated that players from both teams will battle out on the Pakistan soil. Also, it added that the match would be garnered by celebrities and former legends of the game.

“Players representing both the franchises, celebrities and former cricketing legends will take on each other on Pakistan’s soil,” said a joint statement issued by Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators. The statement also quoted that more matches like this will be played in the future. Speaking of the initiative, Nadeem Omar, the owner of Quetta Gladiators said that this will strengthen fans’ ownership.

“Our aim from the start has been to give back to the city and people of Quetta. The All Stars Muqabala will thus be the foremost example of this aim of ours. We look forward to hosting this and giving back to a community that has given us so much and we’ll be giving our local Quetta boy, Mohammad Junaid, an outing in this match as well,” Omar said.

Ali Naqvi, the owner of Islamabad United, almost replicated the above statement. “We have always considered the support of cricket in the country to be one of our foremost duties. This match will hopefully be another stepping stone for the return of high-level cricket – including the PSL – back to our own shores,” he said.

The PCB is trying hard to bring international cricket back to Pakistan. They also played Sri Lanka in a T20 series in Pakistan last year. This could prove to be a boost for their plans.