KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen owner Fawad Sarwar has made a major announcement about when Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will debut in Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11.
The matches are scheduled to be held from March 26 to May 3, with defending champions Lahore Qalandars taking on debutants Hyderabad in the opening match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
During a recent live session on the owner’s Instagram account, Sarwar was asked about Maxwell’s availability and arrival time.
He confirmed that the all-rounder will be present in the second half of the tournament and will play till the end due to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
“Due to the geopolitical situation, Maxwell will join the Hyderabad Kingsmen in the second half and stay till the end of the season,” Sarwar said.
Maxwell has been one of Australia’s most dominant players in the T20I format.
In 129 matches, he has scored 2,897 runs at a strike rate of 158.42, including 12 fifties and five centuries, with a high of 145 not out. He has also taken 49 wickets in his bowling.
The right-handed batsman brings a wealth of experience to the franchise, having played in tournaments like the Big Bash League (PBL), Indian Premier League (IPL), The Hundred and the Vitality Blast.
In 502 T20 matches, Maxwell has amassed 10,986 runs at a strike rate of 154.16, registering 58 fifties and 8 centuries, while taking 196 wickets.
He is set to make his PSL debut this season and is expected to add significant firepower and experience to the Kingsmen squad.
The historic 11th edition of the marquee league will see eight teams, including two new teams Rawalpindis and Hyderabad Kingsmen, compete in 44 matches in the 39-day event.
According to the recently released schedule, each team will play a total of ten matches, with the top four qualifying for the playoffs.
The knockout stage will consist of Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the final on May 3 at Gaddafi Stadium. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also earmarked May 4 as a reserve day for the final.
PSL 11 will feature six double-headers, three of which will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium. The landmark edition will be played across six venues in Pakistan, with Faisalabad and Peshawar hosting PSL matches for the first time, joining Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host the most matches (15), followed by Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium with 11 and Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium with seven.
The iconic National Bank Stadium in Karachi will host six matches, while four matches will be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
The Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar will host a one-day match between home team Peshawar Zalmi and Rawalpindis on March 28.
Hyderabad Kingsmen Squad for PSL 11:
Marnus Labuschagne (catch), Usman Khan, Akif Javed, Mas Sadaq, Saeem Ayub, Muhammad Ali, Gusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hasan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Glenn Maxwell, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Sahan Mehmood Arif and Ahmed Hussain.
Hyderabad Kingsmen PSL 11 Match Schedule: