ISLAMABAD: With just days left before the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 kicks off, Peshawar Zalmi’s owner said on Sunday that the franchise plans to continue “amassing titles” in the future as a promise to its fans.
PSL, Pakistan’s national cricket league, was launched in 2016 and has since then seen unexpected success. Managed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the PSL is Pakistan’s professional T20 cricket league that features six franchises representing various Pakistani cities.
Peshawar Zalmi, also known as the “Yellow Storm,” is arguably one of the most popular franchises in the six-team tournament. With skipper Babar Azam and an array of talented, explosive batters at their display, Peshawar Zalmi will be one of the toughest sides to beat in this year’s tournament.
In the past eight editions of the PSL, Peshawar Zalmi holds the most impressive record as they have featured in four finals and have at least reached the play-offs on every other occasion.
“The plan on our horizon is to continue amassing titles, not merely as a testament to our cricketing prowess but as a promise to the people of Peshawar who eagerly await to see their favorite players in action on their home ground,” Zalmi owner Javed Afridi said in a statement.
Challenging security conditions mean the PSL has so far not been played in Zalmi’s home ground, the northwestern city of Peshawar. The Yellow Storm won PSL 2 trophy in front of a packed Pakistani crowd in 2017 at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Afridi remembers the memory of winning the trophy and what it meant to millions of Zalmi fans.
“The significance of bringing home the title surpassed the realm of a mere cricketing achievement; it became a unifying force that reverberated across the entire Pashtun community and beyond,” he said.
While the PSL 2024 kicks off on Feb. 17, Zalmi play their first match against the Quetta Gladiators at the Qaddafi Stadium on Sunday, February 18.
Peshawar Zalmi’s fixtures for PSL 9:
18 February v Quetta Gladiators, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
21 February v Karachi Kings, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
23 February v Multan Sultans, Multan Cricket Stadium
25 February v Lahore Qalandars, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
26 February v Islamabad United, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
2 March v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
4 March v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
5 March v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
8 March v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
11 March v Karachi Kings, National Bank Stadium, Karachi
Peshawar Zalmi eyes ‘amassing titles’ days before PSL 2024 kicks off
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Peshawar Zalmi eyes ‘amassing titles’ days before PSL 2024 kicks off
- Peshawar Zalmi is one of the most popular franchises in the Pakistan Super League tournament
- The side has is captained by Babar Azam and has array of talented, explosive batters at its display
Pakistan Navy seizes $3 million of narcotics in Arabian Sea under regional security patrol
- Official statement says the haul was made during an anti-narcotics operation conducted by PNS Yamama
- Seizure comes after a record haul of nearly $972 million was reported in the North Arabian Sea in October
KARACHI: Pakistan Navy said on Sunday a patrol vessel operating in the Arabian Sea had seized 1,500 kg of narcotics, the latest interdiction under a regional maritime security deployment aimed at curbing illicit activity along key shipping routes.
The operation took place under the Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP), a Pakistan-led initiative that deploys naval assets across the Arabian Sea and adjoining waters to deter smuggling, piracy and other non-traditional security threats.
The framework combines independent patrols with coordination involving regional and international partners.
“Pakistan Navy Ship Yamama, while deployed on Regional Maritime Security Patrol in the Arabian Sea, successfully conducted an anti-narcotics operation, leading to the seizure of 1,500 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately 3 million US dollars,” the Navy said.
The interdiction, it added, underscored the force’s “unwavering commitment to combating illicit activities and ensuring security in the maritime domain.”
Pakistan Navy said it routinely undertakes RMSP missions to safeguard national maritime interests through “robust vigilance and effective presence at sea,” and continues to play a proactive role in collaborative maritime-security efforts with other regional navies.
The seizure comes amid heightened counter-narcotics activity at sea.
In October, a Pakistani vessel seized a haul worth nearly $972 million in what authorities described as one of the largest drug seizures ever reported in the North Arabian Sea.
Last month, Pakistan Navy units operating under a Saudi Arabia-led multinational task force seized about 2,000 kg of methamphetamine, valued at roughly $130 million, highlighting the role of regional cooperation in disrupting trafficking networks.
