PSL to kick off from March 26, to clash with Indian Premier League

New Delhi [India], December 15 (ANI): The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season is set to kick off on March 26 and conclude on May 3, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Monday.
PSL 2026 schedule has been rejigged, resulting in an overlap with the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the second consecutive year. The IPL's traditional timeline is from late March to late May.
The Pakistan cricket team was initially scheduled to tour Bangladesh, featuring two Test matches, three ODIs, and three T20Is in March and April, according to Olympics.com.
The 11th season will be the longest yet, spanning 39 playing days. That represents an extra week in the calendar, with previous editions usually lasting between 30 and 35 days.
Established in 2016, the PSL 2026 season will be the 11th edition of the franchise-based T20 tournament. For its first nine editions, the PSL was held between February and March, a window now occupied by the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which is set to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka next year.
The PSL was held in a similar timeframe last season because Pakistan hosted the ICC Champions Trophy between February and March. PSL is set to expand to eight franchises, with the auction for the two new teams scheduled for January 8, as announced by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Inaugural champions Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars are the most successful teams in the league, with three titles each. Lahore Qalandars are also the defending champions. (ANI)