Pakistan Super League 2026 captains announced as teams gear up for new season
PSL 2026 captains announced as the Pakistan Super League expands to eight teams. Check the full list of team captains, tournament schedule, venues, and key matches for PSL 11.
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The captains for the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) have officially been confirmed as franchises finalize preparations for the upcoming season. The tournament, organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is set to begin on 26 March 2026 and will run until 3 May 2026 across multiple cities in Pakistan.
The league reaches its first major milestone through this edition because it expands from six teams to eight providing fresh entertainment options which will help new players develop their skills. The teams will use their Pakistani star players and international cricketers to establish their leadership groups which will decide their success in the competition. The tournament will take place during 39 days of competition which includes 44 matches as teams compete in the group stage before the top four teams advance to the playoffs.
Full list of team captains for Pakistan Super League 2026
The following players have been appointed as captains for the eight franchises competing in PSL 2026:
| Team | Captain |
|---|---|
| Islamabad United | Shadab Khan |
| Lahore Qalandars | Shaheen Shah Afridi |
| Karachi Kings | David Warner |
| Peshawar Zalmi | Babar Azam |
| Quetta Gladiators | Saud Shakeel |
| Multan Sultans | Ashton Turner |
| Pindiz (Team Rawalpindi) | Mohammad Rizwan |
| Hyderabad Kingsmen | Hammad Azam |
The list includes experienced leaders from several fields who represent Pakistan through their international cricketing experience Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan. David Warner from Australia will become the captain of Karachi Kings because he brings his international experience to the team. The captains will guide their teams through the group stage and into the knockout rounds as they compete for the prestigious PSL trophy.
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PSL 2026 Venues
Matches in PSL 11 will be played across six cities in Pakistan, including some venues hosting the league for the first time.
The confirmed venues include:
- Lahore – Gaddafi Stadium
- Karachi – National Bank Cricket Arena
- Multan – Multan Cricket Stadium
- Rawalpindi – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
- Faisalabad – Iqbal Stadium
- Peshawar – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium
Pakistan Super League 2026 start date and tournament schedule details
The PSL 2026 season will begin on 26 March with the opening match between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.The new tournament format requires each team to compete in 10 matches during the league stage.
The teams compete in two groups of four, where they play two matches against their group members and one match against the teams from the other group.The playoffs will include the top four teams from the points table, which will use the page playoff system for their tournament.
Pakistan Super League 2026 Full Schedule
March 2026
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar | Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Lahore |
| 27 Mar | Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings | Lahore |
| 28 Mar | Peshawar Zalmi vs Pindiz | Peshawar |
| 28 Mar | Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United | Lahore |
| 29 Mar | Quetta Gladiators vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Lahore |
| 29 Mar | Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings | Lahore |
| 31 Mar | Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi | Rawalpindi |
April 2026
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr | Multan Sultans vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Multan |
| 2 Apr | Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators | Rawalpindi |
| 2 Apr | Pindiz vs Karachi Kings | Rawalpindi |
| 3 Apr | Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars | Multan |
| 4 Apr | Pindiz vs Islamabad United | Rawalpindi |
| 5 Apr | Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators | Multan |
| 6 Apr | Multan Sultans vs Pindiz | Multan |
| 8 Apr | Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Peshawar Zalmi | Karachi |
| 9 Apr | Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United | Faisalabad |
| 9 Apr | Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi | Karachi |
| 10 Apr | Quetta Gladiators vs Pindiz | Karachi |
| 11 Apr | Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars | Faisalabad |
| 11 Apr | Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Karachi |
| 12 Apr | Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Islamabad United | Karachi |
| 13 Apr | Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans | Faisalabad |
| 15 Apr | Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators | Faisalabad |
| 16 Apr | Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Pindiz | Faisalabad |
| 16 Apr | Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United | Karachi |
| 17 Apr | Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators | Faisalabad |
| 18 Apr | Lahore Qalandars vs Pindiz | Faisalabad |
| 19 Apr | Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings | Lahore |
| 19 Apr | Quetta Gladiators vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Lahore |
| 21 Apr | Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators | Lahore |
| 21 Apr | Pindiz vs Multan Sultans | Rawalpindi |
| 22 Apr | Karachi Kings vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Lahore |
| 22 Apr | Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans | Rawalpindi |
| 23 Apr | Pindiz vs Islamabad United | Rawalpindi |
| 23 Apr | Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings | Lahore |
| 24 Apr | Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi | Rawalpindi |
| 25 Apr | Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings | Lahore |
| 25 Apr | Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen | Rawalpindi |
| 26 Apr | Pindiz vs Peshawar Zalmi | Rawalpindi |
| 26 Apr | Islamabad United vs Multan Sultans | Rawalpindi |
PSL 2026 Playoffs
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Apr | Qualifier | Rawalpindi |
| 29 Apr | Eliminator 1 | Lahore |
| 1 May | Eliminator 2 | Lahore |
| 3 May | Final | Lahore |
Key matches to watch out for in Pakistan Super League 2026
The Lahore Qalandars will play against the Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium during their first match on 26 March. The upcoming match between Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators will showcase a historic Pakistan Super League rivalry which will attract large numbers of spectators. The match between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United will showcase two powerful teams in a major showdown. The first playoff match on 28 April will decide which team will advance to the final championship match. The final match of PSL 2026 will take place on 3 May at Gaddafi Stadium located in Lahore.
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