The team of Lahore Qalandar, who won the toss and batted first in the final of the eighth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) cricket tournament, which was played a day earlier instead of Sunday, in view of possible rain at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, captained Shaheen Afridi, successfully defended their title, thanks to an all-round performance and became the first team to win two consecutive tournaments by winning the trophy by defeating Multan Sultans.

In the last over of the match, Multan Sultans needed 13 runs to become the champions, but despite their best efforts, they managed to score only 11 runs.

Mohammad Rizwan of Multan Sultans scored a total of 550 runs and proved to be the top batsman of the tournament. Pakistan Super League was founded in 2015.  Its first four seasons, including the inaugural tournament played in 2016, were held in the UAE. After gradually some events were held jointly in UAE and Pakistan, it is now being played entirely in the homeland before the home crowd and on home grounds.

The PSL coincided with the spring season when the people hold different festivities like Basant etc. As the cold weather started subsiding in the homeland, the holding of PSL  provided a happy opportunity to people to enjoy the spring as well as it has also become a healthy sign.

The 20-over (T20) matches every year usually start in the last week of January and continue till March. As man as six teams participate in it at the national level, in which the number of local and foreign players is equal.

It is a multi-faceted cricket festival with far-reaching results which has proved to be the best platform for new players to reach the global level. Playing cricket with international players helps build a strong national team which still needs significant cultivation at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Rizwan, the captain of Pakistan Super League 8 runners-up Multan Sultan, has said that we stayed in the match, but could not make the result in our favor, the turning point of the match was Shaheen Afridi’s innings, he created momentum and took the match. We have won many trophies at the end of the tournament but missed the actual trophy. Whether you bat first or later, pressure comes in the final.

In the press conference, he said that our players tried their best and credit should go to Zaman Khan’s bowling.  Zaman Khan  bowls good overs at the end, he does not allow runs. . Both Lahore and Multan have done their own thing well, we have played good cricket, lost by one run but Lahore Qalandars have put in a bit more effort.

Rizwan said that we did not complain about the ball, it was good.

Meanwhile, the cricket analysts have greatly appreciated the batting of Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi in testing times during the final of PSL 8.

In social media messages, they lauded the power hitting of Shaheen Afridi, who hit as many as  five huge sixes and two powerful  boundaries in just 15 balls, remaining not out at good score of 44 runs which helped his team a lot.

Thus, Lahore Qalandars scored 200 runs for six wickets.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the Team of the PSL 8. Shaheen Shah Afridi, the captain of champion Lahore Qalandars, has been named as the captain of the team. The 12-member team has been announced on Sunday, Multan Sultans have 5, Peshawar Zalmi 3, Lahore Qalandars 2, while Islamabad United and Karachi Kings. One player each is included while Saeem Ayub has been appointed as the twelfth player. The team consists of these players: Multan Sultans’ Mohammad Rizwan, Riley Russo, Pollard, Abbas Afridi and Ehsanullah, Peshawar Zalmi’s Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Saeem Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rashid Khan of Lahore Qalandars, Azam Khan of Islamabad United and Imad Wasim of Karachi Kings are part of the team while no player of Quetta Gladiators is included in the team. It was done by an impartial panel consisting of Rashid, Bazid Khan, Darren Ganga, Nick Knight and Sana Mir.

And last but not the least, one would commend the government for providing most comprehensive security steps for for Pakistan Super League (PSL) final due to which it was successfully held the  scheduled venue of Gaddafi Stadium Lahore and was not shifted to elsewhere.

This successful  organizing and holding of the grand PSL finale at Qadafi stadium, which was viewed and enjoyed by capacity crowd, will send a positive message to rest of cricket playing world that our country is safe for sports and that we are capable of thwarting the designs of the terrorists.

It will enhance the country’s image at global level as a peace-loving and sports loving nation, where intentional sports can also be staged successfully without any terrorists’ threat.

The whole world viewed and watched this grand finale on tv screen and on social media outlets and have praised the successful holding of the event.

Thanks to a great number of spectators for turning to the PSL final and making it a thumping success.

It was a sensation match and the nail-biting finish of the 8th edition of Pakistan Super League kept the viewed in the game till the last over.

One would also commend the Chairman PCB, the Chief Ministers and other provincial authorities and the security apparatus consisting of police and the LEAs for keeping the security intact for the entire PSL matches.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 21 2023

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