PSL teams for exhibition match at Arbab Niaz Stadium revealed

After years wait, cricket is finally returning to the historic Arbab Niaz Stadium with two Pakistan Super League franchises locking horns in an exhibition match.

The highly anticipated match between home side Peshawar Zalami and Quetta Gladiators will take place before the PSL 10.

The two side shared a great PSL rivalry, giving fans neck-to-neck games for past nine years.

This is not the first time the PCB has organized an exhibition match before the PSL. In 2023, a similar fixture in Quetta attracted considerable attention, highlighting the enthusiasm for cricket across the country.

Javed Afridi, the owner of Peshawar Zalmi, has been a strong advocate for hosting PSL matches in Peshawar. He previously approached PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, urging him to consider Arbab Niaz Stadium as a venue for PSL 10.

However, though the newly renovated stadium didn’t get PSL games, but it is getting an exhibition match, giving local fans a taste of PSL.

The tournament will formally kick off on Friday, April 11, with defending champions Islamabad United taking on two-time winners Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The six-team tournament will feature a total of 34 matches from April 11 to May 18. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host 13 matches, including two Eliminators and the grand final.

In addition to the main tournament, an exhibition match is scheduled for April 8 in Peshawar. The participating teams for this special fixture will be announced in due course.

Quetta Gladiators squad: Finn Allen, Faheem Ashraf and Mark Chapman (all platinum), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Rilee Rossouw (all diamond), Akeal Hossein, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Saud Shakeel (all gold), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Tariq, Haseebullah Khan and Khurram Shahzad (all silver), Kyle Jamieson and Hasan Nawaz (both emerging), Mohammad Zeeshan, Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis and Sean Abbott (all supplementary).

Peshawar Zalmi squad for PSL 10: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all platinum), Mohammad Haris, and Mohammad Ali (all diamond), Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana and Abdul Samad (all gold), Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufiyan Muqeem and Najibullah Zadran (all silver), Ali Raza and Maaz Sadaqat (both emerging), Ahmed Daniyal and Alzarri Joseph (both supplementary).