LAHORE: West Indies pace legend Courtney Walsh has arrived in Pakistan and joined the Rawalpindiz camp ahead of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), set to run from 26 March to 3 May.
Walsh, who featured in 132 Tests and claimed 519 wickets during his illustrious career, was recently appointed as Rawalpindiz’s bowling coach. He will work alongside South African great Justin Kemp, who serves as the team’s head coach.
The franchise shared a photo of Walsh’s arrival on social media, captioning it: “The man, the myth, the legend. Courtney Walsh has arrived and joined The Pindiz.”
The 63-year-old brings vast coaching experience, having previously served as the bowling coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team and as head coach of the West Indies women’s cricket team.
The upcoming PSL season marks a significant expansion, with eight teams competing for the first time. New franchises Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz join the tournament, which will feature 44 matches over 39 days.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board has revised its logistical plans. Matches will now be staged exclusively in Karachi and Lahore, and will be played behind closed doors.
Originally, six cities — including Multan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad — were under consideration as host venues.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the changes during a press conference, stating that the decisions followed consultations with franchise owners and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the board’s Patron-in-Chief.
Under the revised schedule, Lahore will host Eliminators 1 and 2, along with the final, while Karachi will stage the Qualifier. The opening fixture between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Lahore Qalandars remains unchanged.
With matches set to be played without spectators, organisers have promised enhanced broadcast and production features to improve the viewing experience for fans both in Pakistan and globally.
Rawalpindiz squad for PSL 11:
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Sam Billings, Jalat Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Cole McConchie, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Dian Forrester, Laurie Evans, Asif Afridi, Kamran Ghulam, Fawad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Shahzaib Khan and Saad Masood.
