Big picture
Considering how unlikely it was at various stages over the past few months, being at this stage now is like a final victory of the sixth season of the PSL between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi.
Not only did the resumption of the season look a distant prospect in the days just after it was interrupted, even days before the restart there were moments when it was off one minute, on the next. It could have been taken to Dubai and Sharjah; There was long-standing confusion about who – and even who – players could enter Abu Dhabi; There was concern over arrivals on different dates from different countries affecting the quarantine period; At one point in time, with production crews from India and South Africa likely not being allowed, the whole thing could have stalled.
There was no fixed start and end date until 3 June when the PCB issued a schedule declaring 9 June as the start. Limited player-availability and the fact that it would be played in extreme summer, essentially, an over-developed desert seemed the least. As an exercise in logistics, only organizing a Pakistani wedding could give such a headache to the organizers.
So, in the brief but already tumultuous history of the PSL, it matters less who wins on Thursday evening than it is happening at all. Except, of course, players don't think so. They don't care as much about the possibility of an opportunity happening as they take that opportunity as their own.
The Sultans have been the most successful team in this Abu Dhabi leg, winning five out of six games. Mohammad Rizwan's leadership has done little to quell the curiosity of the minority that wonders whether he should be the captain of Pakistan; There isn't a rivalry—he doesn't—with Babar Azam, which has escalated by having two openings for Pakistan and another two on the run charts this season.
And though Rizwan hasn't been as impressive in this leg as he was in Karachi, he has been able to fall back on the unexpected revival of Sohaib Maqsood, now available in power-hitting colours. Maqsood is the third top scorer this season but has a more (ahem!) strike rate of 152.52, behind only Colin Munro among the top ten run-scorers.
Otherwise on the field, and everywhere else, there has been Shahnawaz Dahani, who is currently the most vibrant cricketer on earth. His primary superpower is good vibrations enough to wreak all hate, but with ease he's a quick learner who bowls average, tough lengths at 140kph-plus.
In contrast, Zalmi is not that well-oiled - there is no coding system for bowlers here - and his form in Abu Dhabi has faltered. Despite honorable mentions for the endurance of Sherfane Rutherford and Shoaib Malik, no one stands up for them. The latter is now in its fourth decade of top-class cricket and given the circumstances and history, only a fool can deny Pakistan's fifteenth return.
Hazratullah Zazai has extended his debut so intensely that he has managed to bring Imam-ul-Haq into the XI instead of Haider Ali. Usually, it would go against the T20 mindset, but it doesn't matter in any way here. It is not even that Mohammad Irfan has turned 39 now. He is getting older but it is not like he is getting younger so all those challenges remain for a batsman.
The unmistakable meaning that the whole has done better than its part is, if you think about it, completely fitting for the side led by Wahab Riaz. Riaz's totality, athleticism, hitting, speed, effort, has always been valued more than any individual attribute. He's still taking wickets (only Dahani has had more this season), still taking the occasional brilliant catch, and still swinging his bat all the way through at a strike rate of 188.57 It shows. The hallmark of PSL for the all-new stars as it has been over six seasons, it is still Riyaz who represents its beating heart.
Form guide
Peshawar Zalmi: W W L W L
Multan Sultan: W L W W W
In the Headlines
Impossible as Maqsood but the influence of Imran Khan to the Sultans is less mentioned. He was rarely thought of as a bowler for the format - he had played only one game in the PSL prior to this season. But, in the manner of Umar Gul, he has become their joint second highest wicket-taker.
How's this for effect? Jonathan Wells came out of quarantine on June 20, had a special net session on Tuesday and then played his first game for Zalmi in the evening. Zazai oversaw him, but his unbeaten 55 was crucial in every way to calm the chase's nerves.
Pitch and conditions
A wild guess: It will be hot.
On the other hand, the pitches in Abu Dhabi are not so predictable and everything has been on display during the last fortnight. Some New Ball Swing, Turn, Reverse, 200+ Totals, Sub-100 Totals; Unlike the Karachi leg, winning the toss and chasing is not that easy.
Team news
Mohammad Irfan, whose leg injury caused little controversy in the win over Islamabad United, is better and is likely to play.
Peshawar Zalmi: Hazratullah Zazai, Kamran Akmal (wk), Jonathan Wells, Shoaib Malik, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Amad Butt, Wahab Riaz (c), Umaid Asif, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Imran.
Multan Sultans: Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan (C&W), Sohaib Maqsood, Riley Russo, Johnson Charles, Khushdil Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Tahir, Ashirwad Mujarbani, Imran Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani.
Quotes
“We have played very well and we have played as a team. The best thing from the first phase was that we never blamed anyone for a mistake. This is a team where everyone has a very important role to play. There is a role, in the XI or the XI, who are sitting outside. Our morale and pace are high."
Wahab Riazu
“We looked like a team that would be eliminated, but we really stuck together. People would single out certain people, but I want to praise the people as a group. We are in Karachi. I didn't play that bad, and lost a few tough games, but we've executed our plans here."