Multan: The opening ceremony for the eighth edition of the much-awaited Pakistan Super League (PSL) kicked off on Monday at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The ceremony, which began with a half-hour delay, began with singer Aima Baig — clad in an ethereal white gown — performing the national anthem.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Najam Sethi, who is heading a panel governing the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) affairs till a chairman is elected, showed off a large replica of the PSL8 trophy.

“Next year we will go to Quetta and Peshawar,” he said, adding that the PSL had given many assets to the country and become a source of happiness for the nation.

Sethi asked a charged crowd who they would support in tonight’s opening match.

Immediately after the ceremony concludes, the first match of the tournament is set to be played between the Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars.

Led by Pakistan’s star wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, Multan boast a batting-heavy core of players featuring Australia’s Tim David, South African Rilee Rossouw, his compatriot David Miller and West Indies veteran Kieran Pollard.