England’s Richard Illingworth and Faisal Afridi announced as on-field umpires for PSL opener

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday named Faisal Afridi and Richard Illingworth as the on-field umpires for the opening match of the upcoming fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

In a press release, PCB said England’s Illingworth would team up with Afridi for the match between Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United scheduled to take place at National Stadium in Karachi on February 20.

Meanwhile, the cricket board added that Sri Lanka’s Roshan Mahanama would lead the playing control team for the curtain-raiser. Asif Yaqoob and Syed Imtiaz Iqbal will be included as the third and fourth umpires.

According to PCB, Illingworth is one of the three foreign umpires who will be involved in the tournament. Additionally, after missing the fourth edition of PSL, Aleem Dar will also return for this year’s PSL. He is scheduled to umpire matches on March 10, March 11 and March 15 at Gaddafi Stadium.

February 20: Opening ceremony, followed by Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, National Stadium (time TBC). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

February 21: Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Stadium (3pm-6:15pm). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (8pm-11:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

February 22: Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, National Stadium (2pm-5:15pm). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Shozab Raza (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

February 23: Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Stadium (2pm-5:15pm). Richard Illingworth and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

February 26: Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Faisal Khan Afridi and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Aslam Bareach (fourth umpire), Javed Malik (match referee)

February 27: Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

February 28: Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium (3pm-6:15pm). Faisal Khan Afridi and Shozab Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Aslam Bareach (fourth umpire), Javed Malik (match referee); Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium (8pm-11:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

February 29: Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium (2pm-5:15pm). Faisal Khan Afridi and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Aslam Bareach (fourth umpire), Javed Malik (match referee); Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

March 1: Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Majid Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

March 2: Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

March 3: Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Shozab Raza and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee).

March 4: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Shozab Raza and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Faisal Khan Afridi (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Aziz-ur-Rehman (match referee)

March 5: Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

March 6: Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Michael Gough and Shozab Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Aziz-ur-Rehman (match referee)

March 7: Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium (2pm-5:15pm). Tariq Rasheed and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Ranmore Martinesz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Michael Gough and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Aziz-ur-Rehman (match referee)

March 8: Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium (2pm-5:15pm). Ranmore Martinesz and Tariq Rasheed (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee); Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Michael Gough and Shozab Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

March 10: Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Michael Gough and Aleem Dar (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee)

March 11: Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Asif Yaqoob and Aleem Dar (on-field), Michael Gough (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohamad Anees (match referee)

March 12: Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Ahsan Raza and Michael Gough (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanam (match referee)

March 13: Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, National Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Rashid Riaz and Michael Gough (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

March 14: Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Stadium (7pm-5:15pm). Ahsan Raza and Michael Gough (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

March 15: Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium (2pm-5:15pm). Shozab Raza and Aleem Dar (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Nasir Hussain (fourth umpire), Mohammad Anees (match referee); Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, National Stadium (7pm-10:15pm). Rashid Riaz and Michael Gough (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire), Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

Appointments to be announced for the following matches:

March 17: Qualifier (1 v 2), National Stadium (7pm-10:15pm)

March 18: Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm)

March 20: Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1), Gaddafi Stadium (7pm-10:15pm)

March 22: Final, Gaddafi Stadium