Daily Times

The sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League concluded on Thursday night at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with Multan Sultans emerging as worthy winners. In the final for the first time, Multan completed one of the great turnarounds in a franchise cricket season to lift their maiden title by comprehensively defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2021 final. Multan started the second leg of the PSL fifth on the points table –– having lost four of their first five matches –– but led by their captain Mohammad Rizwan, went on to win four of the next five to finish the league stage second. They then swatted the Islamabad United challenge in the first qualifier and the win in the final was the crowning glory in their magnificent UAE leg of the season. For Peshawar, it was the third time in the last four seasons that they faltered in the final. They failed to capitalise after keeping Multan quiet for the first half of the first innings, and their hero of the two eliminators Hazratullah Zazai faced only five balls. Those factors, coupled with the lack of a big partnership like that of Sohaib Maqsood and Rilee Rossouw, resulted in the 47-run defeat for Wahab Riaz’s men.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) deserves special appreciation for successfully completing the tournament which had to be suspended midway after a spate of positive COVID-19 tests –– as many as seven players and officials had returned positive tests in March. Last season in 2020, as the pandemic began, the PSL had to cut short its fifth season, although it rescheduled the remaining matches and staged them in November 2020. This season had seen instances gradually build before the dramatic events eventually forced the tournament to be suspended, with less than half of its 34 games completed. How to complete the flagship tournament of Pakistan had become a major headache for the PCB, franchises and almost everybody associated with it. But there was a consensus between the PCB and franchises that it was imperative to complete the remaining matches in 2021 so that the PSL had a clean 2022 for the next season. Despite sharp criticism, the month of June had emerged as the most preferred and practical window because the national team had commitments in March, April and late August and September.

Hats off to the PCB for overcoming all obstacles to hold the remaining matches of the PSL through due diligence and careful planning. The desired objective that was set in March following the postponement was achieved. The PCB has enhanced its credibility with highest level of professionalism. Since its inception in 2016, the PSL has embraced and overcome numerous challenges, only to emerge as a stronger and competitive league year-on-year. And the credit goes to the PCB administration as the PSL is a matter of national pride

After PSL’s suspension, it seemed that things had been aggravated due to the lack of planning and professionalism on the part of the PCB. Such was the situation that nobody was sure as to when the PSL would resume. Though there were speculations that the PCB would hold the remaining PSL VI matches either in Karachi, Abu Dhabi or even Sharjah. Then there was also the question of the PSL’s scheduling. But against all odds, the PCB cleared all the hurdles to stage the remaining matches in Abu Dhabi. The PCB had lengthy negotiations with the Abu Dhabi Government to stage the tournament and got clearances. But the resumption had not been as smooth as it was expected. The PCB even came close to postponing the event further. But the PCB managed to put most of the pieces together and finalised June 9 as the resumption date. One of the biggest challenges was to wrap up the league before June 22 as the Pakistan squad was set to fly to England on June 23 which was later changed to June 25 after the England Cricket Board (ECB) agreed to delay the start of the bilateral tour to accommodate the PSL.

Hats off to the PCB for overcoming all obstacles to hold the remaining matches of the PSL through due diligence and careful planning. The desired objective that was set in March following the postponement was achieved. The PCB has enhanced its credibility with highest level of professionalism. Since its inception in 2016, the PSL has embraced and overcome numerous challenges, only to emerge as a stronger and competitive league year-on-year. And the credit goes to the PCB administration as the PSL is a matter of national pride.