The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that the Pakistan Super League 11 will be staged exclusively in Karachi and Lahore, with matches to be played behind closed doors, significantly reshaping the tournament’s original multi-city plan.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the decision followed consultations with franchise owners and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the league’s patron-in-chief.
Karachi, home to the National Bank Stadium, is expected to host a key portion of the PSL 11 fixtures under the revised schedule, placing the city at the centre of Pakistan’s premier T20 tournament alongside Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
“We have prepared a new schedule that minimises team movements while ensuring the PSL goes ahead,” Naqvi said. “It remains an international brand with foreign players involved.”
The tournament will begin as planned on March 26, with organisers ruling out postponement due to a congested international calendar. However, the absence of spectators in Karachi and Lahore will be a major blow for fans, particularly in Pakistan’s largest city where PSL matches traditionally draw large crowds.
The PCB said ticket holders will be refunded, acknowledging the disappointment for supporters in Karachi who were set to witness matches at the National Bank Stadium.
The board has also cancelled the PSL 11 opening ceremony as part of cost-cutting measures, while limiting access for full-time staff.
PSL chief executive Salman Naseer reiterated the importance of staging the tournament, saying all stakeholders were committed to ensuring its continuity.
Under the original PSL 11 schedule, six cities — including Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan — were to host matches. The revised format now concentrates the event in Karachi and Lahore, with each team still scheduled to play 10 matches and the top four progressing to the playoffs.
The final is set to take place in Lahore on May 3, with a reserve day on May 4, as Karachi plays a pivotal hosting role in keeping the PSL 11 season alive.
