The PSL finale

It’s hard to ignore the Pakistan Super League if you happen to be in Pakistan at the moment – even if you are not a cricket follower. This in itself is one of the biggest achievements of the organisers of the nascent Twenty20 league considering the fact that till some time back it was even hard to imagine that Pakistan had the capability of launching their own professional league in a successful manner. In fact to say that the first edition of PSL, currently under progress in the luxurious confines of Dubai, has been successful would be an understatement. It has been the flavour of the day since it kicked off on February 4. The five-team competition has by far been the most followed event on television in Pakistan since the opening match. And now all is set for the big finale featuring Quetta Gladiators, the event’s surprise package, and Islamabad United, a team that is peaking just at the right time. To be played in Dubai on Tuesday (tonight), the PSL final is expected to attract the same sort of viewership in Pakistan that is normally associated with a Pakistan-India encounter on a cricket field.

The Dubai International Stadium is likely to see a full house. The icing on the cake is the fact that one of the two finalists is led by Pakistan’s most successful Test captain while the other man at helm is the one that many believe is the true heir to Misbah-ul-Haq. The inaugural PSL final has all the ingredients of a mega hit with the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz in one corner and Andre Russell, Misbah and the in-form Mohammad Sami in the other. Both Quetta and Islamabad have raised the bar by crushing their opponents in the qualifying finals but it is hoped that both have kept their best for title clash. Having done well on the cricket field, it is hoped that the PSL will also do good on the balance sheet. The league after all is primarily aimed at making money for the Pakistan Cricket Board. But the math can come later. At the moment, Pakistan should just rejoice in the fact that they now have a league of their own.