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Pakistan Super League ignites with grand opening, setting stage for Qalandars vs United clash

This photograph shows fireworks over the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 9th edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 cricket with the first match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on February 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PCB)
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Updated 17 February 2024
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Pakistan Super League ignites with grand opening, setting stage for Qalandars vs United clash

  • The stadium was packed to capacity ahead of a dazzling laser show and singing performance by Ali Zafar, Aima Baig
  • Islamabad United won the toss following the lavish opening ceremony and invited Lahore Qalandars to bat first
Updated 17 February 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The 9th edition of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 cricket tournament kicked off with a star-studded ceremony at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium shortly before defending champions Lahore Qalandars took on two-time title winners Islamabad United on Saturday evening.

The stadium was packed to capacity ahead of the dazzling laser show that marked the beginning of the championship that will unfold in four cities – Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi – which will host 34 matches.
Singers Ali Zafar and Aima Baig performed the PSL 9 anthem before Islamabad United won the toss and chose to bowl.
In a statement shared by the PCB a day earlier, captain of Lahore Qalandars Shaheen Shah Afridi said he was excited to be leading the team again.

“I am genuinely excited to be leading Lahore Qalandars for the third consecutive season in HBL PSL and the hunt for a hat-trick of titles makes me eager to do well,” he said. “We are eying a third HBL PSL win this time and I can assure you that my team will show the same intensity as we have done in the past two seasons.”
Skipper of Islamabad United, Shadab Khan, on the other hand applauded his balanced squad.
“I have been captain of Islamabad United for the last four seasons and I want to lift the trophy for my team this season,” he said. “The additions of Imad Wasim and the Shah brothers are a huge boost for the franchise. Faheem Ashraf and Azam Khan are two vital cogs in our team. I want my team to stand tall in high-pressure games and get over the line. We have evaluated our mistakes from the last season and are looking forward to executing our plans aptly this time around.”
The PSL officially began in February 2016. It is a significant cricket league in Pakistan, featuring city-based franchise teams.
The PSL is a major event in Pakistan’s cricket calendar, symbolizing the country’s love for the sport, and brings together both local and international talent.
It has grown substantially in value and popularity since its inception, contributing to the global cricket landscape.

Topics: PSL 2024 Lahore Qalandars Islamabad United

Pakistan top military commander urges ‘multi-domain preparedness’ amid evolving security threats

Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistan top military commander urges ‘multi-domain preparedness’ amid evolving security threats

  • Asim Munir says Pakistan faces layered challenges spanning conventional, cyber, economic and information domains
  • His comments come against the backdrop of tensions with India, ongoing militant violence in western border regions
Updated 9 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top military commander Field Marshal Asim Munir on Tuesday stressed the need for “multi-domain preparedness” to counter a broad spectrum of security challenges facing the country, saying they ranged from conventional military threats to cyber, economic and information warfare.

Pakistan’s security environment has remained volatile following a brief but intense conflict with India earlier this year, when the two nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged missile and artillery fire while deploying drones and fighter jets over four days before a ceasefire was brokered by the United States.

Pakistan has also been battling militant violence in its western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where authorities say armed groups operate from across the border in Afghanistan and receive backing from India. Both Kabul and New Delhi have rejected claims.

The military has also warned that disinformation constitutes a new form of security threat, prompting tighter regulations that critics say risk suppressing dissent. Munir also pointed to a “complex and evolving” global, regional and internal security landscape while addressing participants in the National Security and War Course at the National Defense University (NDU).

“These challenges span conventional, sub-conventional, intelligence, cyber, information, military, economic and other domains, requiring comprehensive multi-domain preparedness, continuous adaptation and synergy among all elements of national power,” he said, according to a military statement.

“Hostile elements increasingly employ indirect and ambiguous approaches, including the use of proxies to exploit internal fault lines, rather than overt confrontation,” he continued, adding that future leaders must be trained and remain alert to recognize, anticipate and counter these multi-layered challenges.

Munir also lauded the NDU for producing strategic thinkers who he said were capable of translating rigorous training and academic insight into effective policy formulation and operational outcomes.

Topics: Field Marshal Asim Munir

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