PSL final

It was a night to remember at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. A houseful after a series of low turn outs and a last-ball thriller that gave Islamabad United a record third Pakistan Super League (PSL) title brought about a befitting end to the country’s most popular and lucrative domestic sporting event. The final of the ninth edition of the PSL was played between the two best sides of the league – Islamabad United and Multan Sultans – and fully lived up to the hype. It was a see-saw encounter in which Islamabad, who have never lost a PSL final, once again held their nerves and edged Multan by two wickets thanks to a last-ball four by tail-ender Hunain Shah. The final saw Multan scrambling to 159-9 with the help of a 50 from the prolific Usman Khan and a breezy cameo from the big-hitting Iftikhar Ahmed. Islamabad seemed to be on course for a comprehensive win thanks to a 50 from New Zealand’s Martin Guptill but Multan struck back to put them on the back foot. It was left to Imad Wasim, who had played the lead role in guiding them into the final, and Naseem Shah to steer them towards their first PSL title since 2018. Imad was by far the biggest star at the business end of the league and his all-round heroics are likely to pave the path for his return to national duty. The seasoned all-rounder had fallen out of favour due to indifferent form and decided to quit international cricket. But he is likely to earn a recall for this summer’s T20 World Cup. This season saw many success stories. The young and talented Saim Ayub could not guide Peshawar Zalmi to the final but he emerged as one of the shiniest stars. Pacer Naseem Shah, returning from injury, was at his brilliant best. Spinner Usama Mir might have flopped on his international debut but he was once again in his element in the PSL and so was Islamabad’s victorious captain Shadab Khan. Babar Azam might have failed to take Peshawar Zalmi to the final but he was once again the league’s top scorer. This year fewer international stars were competing, though Rassie van der Dussen, Martin Guptill and David Willey made their presence felt. The emergence of other competing leagues and the towering presence of the super-rich Indian Premier League could make it even more difficult for Pakistan to rope in major foreign players for future editions of the PSL. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will need to find ways and means to ensure that the PSL man ages to attract big names from the world of cricket. The Board should also find the causes behind the low crowd turnout for the final leg of the PSL in Karachi, a city known for its love for cricket. Steps should be taken to ensure better facilities at the stadium and easier ways to buy tickets. Then there is the issue of reaching the venue as fans are faced with too many roadblocks. Even for the final which saw a full house, hundreds of fans were forced to miss the game because of long and frustrating traffic jams. Cricket in general and the PSL in particular should be a source of fun and entertainment for people in these times of political strife and economic hardships. The PCB and city authorities need to work together to ensure that