PSL final

The PSL final for 2020, in the fifth edition of what has become Pakistan's most popular cricket tournament, featured the two top rivals in the country – Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings – against each other for the first time. The two teams had reached the final for the first time in the history of the PSL. Lahore and Karachi, in cricket and in other matters, have an unmatched rivalry which has featured in international cricket, in team selection and in other matters for the national team for decades. In the PSL contest, it was essentially batsmen from the Lahore Qalandars taking on Karachi's bowlers. In the end, Karachi's bowlers and better captaincy by Imad Wasim and most importantly of all just the existence of Babar Azam proved to be the key factor in the victory by five wickets, which went to the Karachi Kings, who lifted the trophy for the first time. As he did so, Imad Wasim paid tribute to their late coach Dean Jones.

Starting the match, surprisingly enough, the Lahore Qalandars who won the toss opted to bat on a pitch which had been used before and was therefore unpredictable. The opening partnership of 68 runs would on paper appear to be a solid start. Tamim Iqbal and Fakhar Zaman both held themselves well at the crease. But in a T-20 match an innings is of little consequence, unless it also brings runs quickly. The runs came too slowly, as Muhammad Amir from the Karachi Kings, Imad Wasim and Umaid Asif bogged down the Qalandars. By the 11th over, even with the fall of very few wickets, they had panicked. Wickets then began to tumble. And as is the usual case, when wickets fall runs do not come.

In their turn, aiming for a target of 135 which was not high in the first place, the Karachi Kings were led by Babar Azam who scored yet another 50, continuing a stint which has gone on for a long time and suggests just what a wonderfully gifted batsman this young man, ironically enough from Lahore, is. The win for the Karachi Kings was eventually easy. It seemed to flow smoothly and fluently as its bowling attack demonstrated to the Lahore Qalandars just how hard it can be to score runs against a quality bowling outfit, while it's batsmen led by Babar Azam later demonstrated their own class. All in all, the PSL final came as a breath of fresh air for a nation currently facing the doom and gloom of Covid-19 and the terribly crippling economic situation. We do hope that the world gets back to normal and we see spectators back in stadiums and tournaments like the PSL giving us entertaining cricket. The Pakistani cricket think-tank has been working for the past many years to bring cricket back to the country. The PSL was a timely step in that direction.