Former England Test captain Sir Alastair Cook is all set to make his HBL PSL debut behind the mic as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a star-studded commentary panel for HBL PSL X here on sunday.
The six-team tournament is scheduled to commence from 11 April at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and will conclude on 18 May, with the final taking place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The 34 matches will be played 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. Nicholas also remained associated with SKY Sports in England and Channel 9 in Australia. 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:
Four former Test captains – Aamir Sohail, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram will lead the commentary team from Pakistan. Waqar and Wasim are both ICC and PCB Hall of Famers as well. 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, this edition of the HBL PSL 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.
Erin Holland and Zainab Abbas will be the presenters during the league matches.
HBL PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer: “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.
“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.”