Summary The match will start at 9pm Pakistan Standard Time
Dunya News Report (Jibran Dost)
Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators are all set to play the final match of the tournament as Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League (PSL) comes to an end.
Islamabad United under the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq and Quetta Gladiators under Sarfaraz Ahmad’s leadership will step into the pitch for the final. The same way as started, PSL will host the final match of the tournament between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators.
After the victory of Quetta Gladiators in the semi-finals, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri has directed the authorities of Nawab Khan Bugti Stadium Quetta to install a large screen for the people to enjoy live watching of the final match of HBL PSL.
“People of Quetta are very happy that Quetta Gladiators have reached in the final of PSL and the provincial government has made arrangements for live watching of the final at large screen,” officials said, adding that the entry into the stadium would be free of cost.
PSL final between the two teams will be played in Dubai International Cricket Stadium today. The match will start at 9pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
Islamabad United throughout the tournament has received four victories while facing defeat in the same number of matches. On the other hand, Quetta Gladiators have won six matches, including an intense and most favourite match of the tournament against Peshawar Zalmi, while losing only two matches.
At the same time, a lot of hype has surrounded the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL). Unlike Indian Premier League (IPL), Chairman PSL Najam Sethi has expressed that Indian players will also be encouraged to play PSL after Pak-India series takes place in near future.
In the opening, the tournament started with a slow pace producing scores of below 150 but once the batsmen got used to the pitch and the atmosphere of the stadium, Lahore Qalandars were the first team to go past the 200 run-mark.
However, their opponents, Quetta Gladiators, successfully put behind the 200 run-mark with a scoring victory of 203 runs.
On the other hand, Islamabad United was able to defend a target of 131 runs against Karachi Kings, the lowest to be defended in the league.
Earlier last week, Pakistan Cricket Board’s Executive Committee chief and Pakistan Super League Chairman Najam Sethi invited Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to watch the final match of the tournament to be held on February 23 (today).
However, both declined the invitation to watch the final in Dubai International Cricket Stadium, to which, the PSL chairman expressed disappointment and said “They should have showed up to watch PSL final, politics and sports should be kept separate.”
In September 2015, the Pakistan Cricket Board officially declared the launch of the Pakistan Super League. Wasim Akram and Rameez Raja, former Pakistan cricket team captains marked up to become brand ambassadors of the league for three years.
After several years of planning, the league officially began on 4 February 2016, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
