The long-delayed National T20 Cup decider, Karachi Whites v Abbottabad, will finally take place at Gaddafi Stadium on 6 or 7 June. A night start is planned, the PCB confirming the date range on Friday after weeks of pencilling and rubbing-out.
Heavy rain on 18 March forced the original postponement. With the PSL beginning eight days later, a quick slot was impossible. At the time the board could only promise that the “exact date and venue for the final will be shared closer to the match”. They have now done just that, sticking with Lahore rather than returning to Peshawar, where most of this season’s tournament was staged.
That earlier move to Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, you’ll remember, was designed to road-test the ground before its first PSL fixture. Government fuel-saving rules scuppered that plan; the entire league was squeezed into Karachi and Lahore, leaving Peshawar idle once more. Not ideal, but unavoidable.
Both finalists topped their respective pools. Karachi Whites reached the final by edging Sialkot with five wickets and three balls spare, showing the kind of composure that wins trophies. Abbottabad’s path was less dramatic: their semi-final against Lahore Whites was washed out, and superior group points carried them through.
Neither side has played a competitive match since late March, so rust is a talking point. A Karachi assistant coach admitted privately that rhythm could be “a little off”, while an Abbottabad team-manager insisted any downtime has been “used well in the nets”.
Ticket details and the definitive date are expected early next week.
