One hundred and 24 days since this competition started, and 1,260kms away, the storied 2021 HBL Pakistan Super League reached its conclusion in Abu Dhabi, with Multan Sultans winning the title by 47 runs.
Batting first, Multan posted a mammoth score of 206-4 with Rilee Rossouw and Sohaib Maqsood hitting fifties against Peshawar Zalmi.
In the chase, Peshawar never got going. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-33 as Zalmi were restricted to 159-9.
A tournament which was so heavily disrupted by Covid-related issues had one more such controversy, on its last day.
Peshawar Zalmi received unfortunate news on the afternoon of the game, when it was announced two of their players had been suspended because of Covid protocol breaches.
Umaid Asif and Haider Ali were unavailable for selection, having met with people outside their designated bio-secure bubble on Wednesday.
But the night belonged to Multan. When the season broke for its Covid-enforced hiatus at the start of March, they were joint bottom of the table, having won just one match.
They lost a raft of players in the intermission, and had to scour the globe for reinforcements.
And yet they arrived in Abu Dhabi as a side reborn. They won every match since getting to the UAE capital, and their victory in the final against Peshawar was never in doubt.
A special mention here, too, for Andy Flower, who might be in the throes of revolutionising short-format cricket, with all the number crunching and codes, etc.
The coach has a special affinity with this ground, too. This PSL win with Multan is his second big title in competition at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. He was in charge of Maratha Arabians when they won the Abu Dhabi T10 two seasons ago, too.
Follow how the match unfolded in our blog below.
