LAHORE: In a first, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday picked the port city Gwadar in Balochistan to host the Player Draft of the 10th edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).
According to the PCB statement, the draft ceremony will take place on January 11, 2025 (Saturday). “The start timing of the event will be shared in due course.”
The relegation process and retention of players will be announced at the end of this month.
The cricket governing body, in a statement, said that the decision to choose Gwadar was made to take the popular sport among the people in that part of the province and inspire the next generations to take up cricket as a professional sport.
Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi said that Gwadar, with its stunning coastline and strategic importance, represents the heart of Pakistan’s economic future.
“By hosting the HBL PSL Player Draft here, we aim to highlight its cultural and economic significance while celebrating the unity cricket brings to our nation,” he was quoted as saying.
Moreover, the PCB chief and Interior Minister expressed excitement to welcome all the franchises and the relevant stakeholders to the beautiful city of Gwadar on January 11 as “we take an exciting step towards marking the start of the 10th edition of Pakistan’s biggest sporting extravaganza.”
PSL Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salman Naseer said, “It gives me great pride in announcing Gwadar as the host city for the HBL PSL Player Draft. This initiative reflects our commitment to expanding HBL PSL’s reach to every corner of Pakistan and showcasing the beauty of Pakistan to the world.”
The statement, quoting Naseer, read “PSL is more than a cricket league to passionate fans of Pakistan, it’s a celebration of Pakistan’s passion, diversity, and talent.”
The Player Draft taking place in Gwadar is a step towards inspiring young cricketers from Balochistan and other cities of the country to dream big, PSL CEO maintained.