By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: Tickets for the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) final will go on sale from Monday, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Sunday, with fans set to return to Gaddafi Stadium for the first time since the tournament shifted behind closed doors because of a nationwide fuel shortage.
The decider is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, at the iconic Lahore venue, with a reserve day on Monday, May 4. Teams for the final have yet to be decided. Online sales open at 4pm on Monday through the PCB’s official portal pcb.tcs.com.pk. Physical tickets will be available from 10am on Tuesday at 18 designated TCS Express Centres across Lahore.
Pricing reflects the prestige of the enclosures, named after Pakistani cricket greats. VIP stands — the Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan enclosures — are priced at Rs6,000. Premium seats in the Rajas and Saeed Anwar enclosures will cost Rs4,000.First-class enclosures, including those named after Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Abdul Qadir, Javed Miandad and Sarfaraz Nawaz, are listed at Rs2,000. General enclosures — Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Saeed Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq — start from Rs1,500.
For those seeking the best vantage points, the VVIP Waqar Younis enclosure at the Iqbal End is available for Rs8,000, while the Zaheer Abbas enclosure at the Jinnah End carries a Rs10,000 price tag. The most expensive option is the PCB Gallery at Rs12,000. The PCB urged fans to reach Gaddafi Stadium by 6:30pm to enjoy the curtain-closing ceremony before the match begins.
The ticket announcement follows Saturday’s confirmation by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved spectator entry for the final only. Most league matches were played in empty stadiums after the government imposed austerity measures in March to curb fuel consumption amid energy supply disruptions.
In a social media post, Naqvi said he had personally requested the prime minister to allow spectators. “While he was also inclined to permit fans, he emphasized that austerity measures are currently in place across Pakistan, with efforts under way to minimize fuel consumption,” Naqvi wrote. “However, on the request of franchise owners, he has graciously approved the presence of fans for the PSL 11 Final. I sincerely thank him for this decision and for facilitating the fans.”
Pakistan has been grappling with acute fuel pressures and rising costs after fighting linked to the Iran war curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for about a fifth of the world’s oil.
On the field, the league phase is nearing its conclusion, with the final round of 10-match fixtures completed on Saturday. Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Sultans and Islamabad United have already secured playoff berths. Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen remain in contention for the fourth and final playoff spot, with qualification likely to be settled on net run rate (NRR). Peshawar Zalmi currently head the standings ahead of Multan Sultans.
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