Title-holders Qalandars elect to bat first against PSL debutants Kingsmen

Title-holders Lahore Qalandars Thursday won the toss and opted to bat first against new entrants Hyderabad Kingsmen as the 11th season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) kicked off at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

This season's PSL has been expanded to eight teams and will be played across Lahore and Karachi.

For the first time, the tournament features eight franchises, with Hyderabad Kingsmen and RawalPindiz joining the competition, while Multan Sultans come under new administration after initially being announced as Sialkot Stallions.

The Qalandars, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, enter PSL 11 with momentum, having won three of the last four titles. Their pace attack — featuring Afridi, Haris Rauf and Mustafizur Rahman — remains their greatest strength.

With Abdullah Shafique and Fakhar Zaman anchoring the batting, and Sikandar Raza providing all-round brilliance, they look well equipped to defend their crown.

The Kingsmen, owned by American-Pakistani businessman Fawad Sarwar, make their debut with a star-studded line-up. Captain Marnus Labuschagne is joined by Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Kusal Perera and record signing Saim Ayub.

Their batting unit is formidable, but their pace attack appears thin after the withdrawal of Ottneil Baartman, leaving Meredith as the sole overseas specialist fast bowler.

This milestone season carries a sobering reality: matches will be played in empty stadiums.