LAHORE: Karachi Kings captain David Warner has expressed confidence in his squad’s potential ahead of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), emphasising the need to build on last season’s performances while seamlessly integrating new arrivals.

Speaking at a recent captains’ conference, Warner struck an optimistic tone about the campaign ahead.

“Yeah, look, it’s obviously good to have those guys as part of our group. For us, it’s about trying to emulate a little of what we did last year and see how we can improve from how we started last year,” Warner said.

The left-handed batter also addressed the challenges posed by reduced venues this season, stressing the need for quick adaptation and improved consistency compared to the previous campaign.

“We had five home games, and now we’re down to two venues here. There’s no excuse—we should get used to the venues and adapt as quickly as we can. Hopefully, we can progress better than we did last year,” he said.

He also praised the team’s efforts at the player auction, expressing confidence in the squad’s ability to compete strongly against other sides in the tournament.

“We’ve got a good group of players, and I think we did well at the auction too, giving us the chance to compete against these guys and beat them all,” he added.

The opening batter further reflected on his fitness and longevity, underlining his commitment to maintaining peak physical condition despite being in the later stages of his career.

“Yeah, look, at 39 years of age, I’m extremely fit. Probably fitter than most 39-year-olds around the world who are still playing this game. It’s just about a healthy diet, running off the field, training hard, and maintaining longevity. But to answer your question, hopefully, I can score some runs and put our team in a good position,” he concluded.

The forthcoming PSL season represents a landmark expansion, featuring eight teams for the first time.

The tournament is scheduled to run from 26 March to 3 May, with the newly added Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz franchise joining the competition across 44 matches in 39 days.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has revised its logistical plans, confining matches to Karachi and Lahore behind closed doors, a departure from the initial schedule that included venues such as Multan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the decision followed consultations with franchise owners and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Lahore will host Eliminators 1 and 2, as well as the final, while Karachi is set to stage the Qualifier. The opening fixture between the Hyderabad Kingsmen and Lahore Qalandars remains unchanged.

The Warner-led Kings will play their campaign-opening match against Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Karachi Kings squad for PSL 11:

David Warner (c), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Moeen Ali, Azam Khan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Mohammad Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Khwaja Bin Tanveer, Reeza Hendricks, Muhammad Waseem, Ihsanullah and Rizwanullah.