ISLAMABAD: The eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will kick off on February 13 when defending champions Lahore Qalandars take on former champions Multan Sultans, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday. 

PSL, Pakistan's professional T20 cricket league, is the South Asian country's most lucrative sports event. The tournament features six franchises, each representing a Pakistani city, that play T20 cricket for over a month. Over the past seven editions, the PSL has successfully established itself as one of the most popular cricket brands in Pakistan and around the world. 

The Qalandars defeated the Sultans in the final of the PSL 7 last year to lift the trophy. The victory was significant for left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had captained the side for the first time and led the team to their maiden PSL title. 

"Lahore Qalandars will have an opportunity to make history when they will take on Multan Sultans in the opening match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday, 13 February," the PCB said in a statement. 

The tournament will feature 34 matches, with PSL 8 designed in such a manner that each of the four home sides will play five matches in front of their fans and supporters – one against each side.

PSL 8 will be played in two legs--Karachi and Multan will host the first phase of the tournament from February 13-26. The second leg of the tournament will see matches being played in Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium and Rawalpindi's Pindi Cricket Stadium from February 26-March 19. 

PSL 8 will also provide a "soft launch" of the Pakistan Women's League, the PCB confirmed. It added that three exhibition matches between the two women's sides would be played in Rawalpindi on March 8, 10 and 11. 

"The two women’s sides are expected to comprise leading local and foreign players, details of which will be announced in due course," the PCB said.

Chair of the PCB Managing Committee, Najam Sethi, hoped the event would be a "massive" one for the cricket board. "We aim to make the HBL PSL bigger, better and stronger than ever before with the overarching ambition to make it the first-choice event for leading T20 cricketers," he told reporters at a press briefing. 

In response to a question, Sethi confirmed Quetta would not host any PSL matches this year. He said the decision was taken in consultation with the Balochistan government and the Pakistan Army corps in the province, keeping in mind the "terms of the situation there on the ground and also the facilities."

Soon after taking over the reins of the PCB last year, Sethi announced the PCB would host PSL matches in Quetta if the city's cricket ground was prepared in advance.