The opening ceremony of the Pakistan Super League(PSL) took place at the National Stadium Karachi. This is the first edition to take place entirely on Pakistani soil.
The opening ceremony began with the National anthem. A group of drummers and trumpeters, dressed in National colors, kicked the ceremony into high gear by performing an instrumental version of PSL’s anthem for the fifth edition. Sindh’s Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was invited on the stage to say a few words after the performance.
“But it was not possible at the time,” Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said, adding that the credit for the opening ceremony goes entirely to the people of Karachi. Thanking the PCB, he called for the people to show the world the true spirit of Karachi.
Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Ehsan Mani recalled the promise made by board of tournament’s entirety in Pakistan. He then said that the board has now fulfilled the promise. He further added that “Next year, we will try to include Peshawar in the league”. He thanked the provincial governments of Punjab and Sindh as well as the law enforcing agencies saying that none of this would have been possible without their cooperation.
Following all he performances, Fakhre Alam called the representatives of all the PSL franchises, including “honorary” Pakistani Darren Sammy, to the stage to take an oath to “follow and respect the rules of the league and to play with respect and integrity, endeavouring to serve as role models for people around the world”.
The highlights of the evening were performances of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Abrarul Haq, Aima Baig, and Sajjad Ali. A Sufi medley featuring singer Sanam Marvi, qawwals Fareed Ayaz and Abu Mohammad, and the band Soch was a dazzling display of local talent and tradition.
Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan will host 34 matches featuring the six franchise-based teams.
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