It is the end of a new beginning, the first edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) wrapped up after an excursion of nearly three exhilarating weeks. HBL PSL 2016 officially started earlier last month with a lot of expectations and skepticism. And of course, there was some criticism as well, amid all that HBL PSL has done glowing well especially for the first season of a cricket league.
The HBL Pakistan Super League 2016 was staged in UAE due to security concerns in Pakistan, but that still did not turn real cricket fans off, as the tournament completely ruled prime time viewership on TV in Pakistan. Over 55% of Pakistani television, viewership preferred watching HBL PSL rather than watching TV dramas or talk shows. That clearly speaks volumes about the success of the league and designates that quality cricket is still the prevalent entertainment for Pakistanis.
The HBL Pakistan Super League has not just been a cricket tournament that has been much more than that. If you still think why the HBL PSL is the next big thing in Pakistani cricket scene then you must discern the kind of fever HBL PSL has spread in merely four weeks’ time.
The HBL PSL has taken over our music scene, as many top singers came up with team anthems; almost every team has at least two or three anthems extra besides having one official anthem of the team. Every top TV channel took pride in being associated with the event and the franchises.
Our sense of humor and banter has one more topic now – yes, the HBL PSL. Lahore vs Karachi vs Islamabad has taken an all-new turn because of the HBL PSL. Every nerve testing game echoed on our social media streams, which is not an ordinary thing for a nation divided over various topics and issues, but united again to enjoy quality cricket.
One more thing, merchandise – every franchise has a loyal following and that opens the sooq for merchandise manufacturers, sellers, and distributors. Hence, the newly born cricket league is now part of our lifestyle, and that too in just one month.