HBL PSL X: Alastair Cook Joins Star-Studded Commentary Panel
Former England Test skipper Sir Alastair Cook is ready to make his HBL PSL debut as a commentator as Pakistan Cricket Board today unveils a star-studded commentary panel for HBL PSL X.
The six-nation tournament is due to begin on 11 April in the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and end on 18 May, with the last match set to be held in the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
All 34 matches will be conducted in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
Cook will be accompanied by former MCC president Mark Nicholas – a celebrated voice in commentary after retiring from professional cricket in 1995. Nicholas was also retained by England’s SKY Sports and Australia's Channel 9. Completing Cook and Nicholas are compatriots Dominic Cork and Mark Butcher, while South African Jean-Paul Duminy and Mike Haysman will also form part of the panel.
Athar Ali Khan will be coming in from Bangladesh, joined by former New Zealand Test player Martin Guptill. Australia’s two ICC Women’s World Cup champions Lisa Sthalekar will also contribute her voice to the tournament.
Commentators from Pakistan:
Four of former captains of the Tests – Waqar Younis, Ramiz Raja, Wasim Akram and Aamir Sohail will be leading the commentary team of Pakistan. Waqar and Wasim are also ICC and PCB Hall of Famers. They will also be accompanied by former Test player Bazid Khan, former women's team captain of Pakistan Urooj Mumtaz and cricket analyst Sikander Bakht. In a historic initiative, this HBL PSL edition will also see a complete match in Urdu commentary for the very first time. Part of the Urdu commentary panel consists of Ali Younis, Aqeel Samar*, Marina Iqbal* and Salman Butt and Tariq Saeed, and will be complemented by the above Pakistan’s commentators for certain segments.
The presenters of the league games will be Erin Holland and Zainab Abbas.
HBL PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer:
"We are thrilled to host a star-studded commentary panel, with some of the biggest names in world cricket — and some of the game's most famous former captains and leading broadcasters. Having them on board will, in addition to improving the quality of the TV presentation, reinforce the international standing of the HBL PSL.
"This year for the inaugural time in the history of HBL PSL, we are broadcasting a complete match in full Urdu commentary – a step which makes us even closer to the fans of the country. We believe that by bringing together iconic voices and new innovations, we will give consumers a better experience in homes across the world as well as in their homes in Pakistan."
