LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has quietly introduced a new playing condition for the Pakistan Super League that allows rival captains to submit two different team sheets before the toss, finalising their XI only after it.

The change drew attention when Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and Multan Sultans captain Marnus Labuschagne arrived at the toss for the opening match with two team sheets each.

No prior announcement had been made by the PCB; the playing conditions were simply uploaded to the event website that morning.

Under Article 1.2, each captain may submit two different XI lineups in writing to the PSL Match Referee before the toss. After the toss, the captain must sign one to make it official. Once finalised, no changes to the playing XI can be made without the opposing captain’s consent.

Each XI must include at least seven and no more than eight local players, including one emerging player.

The four additional players named in the team sheet are eligible only as substitute fielders, unless the Match Referee permits otherwise in exceptional circumstances.

In an uninterrupted match, each innings will last a maximum of 85 minutes, with the 20th over to begin within that window. League matches allow 30 minutes of additional time; playoff matches and the final get 60 minutes.

The final will have a reserve day — the play-offs and league games will not. If no play is possible on the scheduled date, the entire final will be played on the reserve day. Should that day also be washed out, the team finishing higher on the points table at the end of the league stage will be crowned champions.