KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Saturday it will offer full-match commentary in Urdu for the first time in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this year, saying the move will make the tournament more accessible to a wider national audience.
Cricket commentary in Pakistan was long delivered in both Urdu and English, especially during the golden era of radio and early television. Legendary commentators like Omar Kureishi and Chishti Mujahid often switched between the two languages or provided parallel coverage.
Urdu commentary was particularly prominent on Radio Pakistan, helping bring the game closer to the masses and expanding its reach across the country.
“Fans will now be able to follow live broadcasts in Urdu, allowing them to enjoy the excitement and action of PSL matches in Pakistan’s national language,” the PCB said in a statement. “This initiative strengthens our connection with the millions of cricket lovers who have long awaited this addition.”
The upcoming edition of the HBL PSL will run from April 11 to May 18 across four cities — Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi.
The PCB said details regarding broadcast arrangements and commentary panels for both Urdu and English will be announced in due course.
PCB Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer called it a “historic moment” for the league and its expanding fanbase.
He said cricket was a unifying force in Pakistan, and by offering commentary in Urdu throughout the tournament, the PCB aimed to bring the excitement and energy of the PSL closer to fans across the country.
Pakistan to offer full Urdu commentary for PSL this year to reach wider audience
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Pakistan to offer full Urdu commentary for PSL this year to reach wider audience
- Cricket commentary was once offered in both Urdu and English during radio and early TV’s golden era
- A senior PCB official calls Urdu commentary a ‘historic moment’ for the league and its growing fanbase
Saudi charity KSrelief distributes 4,000 winter kits in northwest Pakistan
- The charity will distribute around 800 kits each in five districts, containing two quilts and winter clothing
- The program is part of a broader winterization initiative to help communities affected by harsh weather
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) on Friday said it had started distributing 4,000 winter kits in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to help communities affected by harsh weather.
The program is part of KSrelief’s larger winterization initiative that was launched at the Saudi embassy in Islamabad earlier in January. Under the broader initiative, 22,000 winter kits will be distributed among more than 154,000 Pakistanis across the country.
Each winter kit includes two polyester quilts, warm shawls and winter clothing. Around 800 kits will be distributed in each of the Chitral, Upper Dir, Upper Kohistan, Mansehra and Kurram districts.
"The initiative targets communities severely impacted by harsh winter conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as selected areas of Punjab and Sindh experiencing extremely low temperatures," KSrelief said in a statement.
The project is being carried out in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority, provincial disaster management authorities, the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Hayat Foundation.
The statement said the initiative reaffirms KSrelief's continued commitment to alleviating winter-related hardships and improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations across Pakistan.
The Saudi charity has launched numerous projects across Pakistan in food security, health, education and disaster response in recent years, deepening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.
