Pakistan Women's League set for "soft launch" during PSL after roll-back on plans for coinciding tournament

The Pakistan Women's League is now set to take place in September, with just three games being played at Rawalpindi in the lead-up to PSL matches

Nick Friend | 20/01/2023 at 12:37

Three women's matches will take place during this year's Pakistan Super League as part of what the PCB has called a "soft launch" for a new women's competition.

Under Ramiz Raja's chairmanship, the plan had been for the inaugural edition – 12 games, all taking place in Rawalpindi, comprising four squads of 18 players each – to coincide and collaborate with this year's PSL.

But that plan has been rolled back by his replacement, new PCB chair Najam Sethi, with a four-team tournament now set to debut in September in a different guise as the Pakistan Women's League.

The three exhibition games will take place at Rawalpindi in the lead-up to PSL matches on March 8, 10 and 11. Despite a likely clash with the Women's IPL, the PCB expect overseas players to feature.

The men's competition will see Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore and Multan all stage matches, with Rawalpindi hosting the only doubleheader, where Peshawar Zalmi are due to face Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United are taking on Multan Sultans.

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^{Multan Sultans will be looking to reclaim their crown last won in 2021 (Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images)}

The knockout phase, culminating in the final on March 19, will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium.

"There will be no question on the quality of cricket that will be played in over 34 days of action-packed cricket," said Sethi.

"I am hoping the HBL PSL will once again live up to its expectations of unearthing and identifying future stars who will not only challenge the established household names in this edition but will go on to represent Pakistan."

For the 2023 edition, each squad will be able to feature up to 20 players following a request by the franchises, which allows them to pick two additional supplementary players at the replacement draft, which takes place on January 24.