ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday announced a star-studded commentary panel for the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty-20 tournament, with former England Test captain Alastair Cook set to make his PSL debut behind the mic.
The six-team tournament is scheduled to commence from April 11 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and will conclude on May 18, with the final taking place at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The tournament will feature 34 matches in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
“Cook will be joined by former MCC President Mark Nicholas – a renowned voice in cricket commentary since retiring from competitive cricket in 1995,” the PCB said.
“Joining Cook and Nicholas are fellow countrymen Dominic Cork and Mark Butcher, while South Africa’s Jean-Paul Duminy and Mike Haysman will also be part of the panel.”
From Bangladesh, it will be Athar Ali Khan, and he will be joined by New Zealand’s former Test cricketer Martin Guptill. Australia’s two-time ICC Women’s World Cup winner Lisa Sthalekar will also lend her voice to the tournament.
Commentators from Pakistan include four former Test captains, Aamir Sohail, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. They will be joined by former Test cricketer Bazid Khan, former Pakistan women’s team captain Urooj Mumtaz and cricket analyst Sikander Bakht.
In a historic move, PSL-10 will also feature a full-match broadcast in Urdu commentary for the first time.
“The Urdu commentary panel includes Ali Younis, Aqeel Samar*, Marina Iqbal*, Salman Butt and Tariq Saeed, who will be joined by the above Pakistan’s commentators for selected segments,” the PCB said.
Erin Holland and Zainab Abbas will be the presenters during the league matches.
“We are excited to welcome a star-studded commentary team, featuring some of the most iconic names in the cricketing world — including legendary former Test captains and top-tier broadcasters. Their involvement not only enhances the quality of our coverage but also highlights the global stature of the HBL PSL,” PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer said.
“This year, for the first time in HBL PSL history, we will be broadcasting a full match entirely in Urdu commentary – a move that brings us even closer to our passionate fanbase across Pakistan. We are confident that the combination of iconic voices and fresh innovations will enhance the viewing experience for fans at home and around the world.”
Pakistan announces star-studded commentary panel for PSL 10th edition
https://arab.news/brhd9
Pakistan announces star-studded commentary panel for PSL 10th edition
- Former England Test captain Alastair Cook is set to make his PSL debut behind the mic this season
- The PSL 10th edition will also feature a full-match broadcast in Urdu commentary for the first time
Pakistan says economy stabilizing as it looks to 2026 growth
- Inflation averages 5 percent, remittances hit $16.1 billion as government cites signs of recovery
- IT exports, industry and development spending highlighted as focus shifts to next year’s targets
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy has shown signs of stabilization in the first half of the current fiscal year, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday, as the government looks ahead to sustaining growth momentum into 2026 after several years of economic volatility.
Briefing the media on economic performance through November, Iqbal said key indicators including inflation, industrial output, exports, remittances and fiscal revenues had improved, creating what he described as a more stable base for forward planning.
Pakistan has spent much of the past two years navigating high inflation, external financing pressures and fiscal tightening under an IMF-backed reform program. While growth remains modest, officials say recent data suggests the economy has moved out of crisis mode and into a consolidation phase.
“During July to November of fiscal year 2025–26, stability has returned to Pakistan’s economy,” Iqbal said, adding that average inflation during the period stood at around 5 percent, compared with 7.9% last year, easing pressure on households and businesses.
Large-scale manufacturing posted growth of 4.1 percent, which Iqbal described as “clear evidence of recovery in industrial activity.”
The planning minister said government revenues also improved, with Federal Board of Revenue collections reaching Rs4,733 billion ($16.9 billion) during July–November, reflecting a 10.2% increase.
External inflows remained resilient, with workers’ remittances rising 9.3% to $16.1 billion, while IT services exports increased 19% to $1.8 billion over the same period, he said.
On the public investment side, Iqbal said Rs196 billion ($700 million) were released under the development budget during the quarter, of which Rs92 billion ($329 million) had already been spent. He added that cost rationalization in development projects between July and October saved Rs3.3 billion ($11.8 million) billion in public funds.
In November, the planning minister said, the Central Development Working Party approved 10 development projects, while six major schemes were referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.
Iqbal said the approved projects were expected to create 994 immediate jobs, with nearly 24,859 direct and 40,873 indirect employment opportunities projected overall.
Looking ahead, he said all future development schemes would be required to comply with green building codes to ensure environmental protection and sustainable growth.
He also highlighted skills and innovation initiatives, saying that under the “Uraan Pakistan” program, partnerships with Oxford and Cambridge universities were being pursued to promote research, technology and innovation.
Under an IT industry revival plan, he said more than 20,000 young people were being trained in advanced technologies, with over 14,000 new jobs expected to be created.
The government has said maintaining macroeconomic stability while gradually lifting growth remains its central challenge as Pakistan moves into 2026, with officials emphasising disciplined spending, export growth and job creation as key priorities.
