It had its sceptics. It was fighting the odds. There was hardly a free window in the international cricket calendar. Unable to host matches at home, Pakistan cricket was coloured in a narrative of isolation and marginalisation. Organisation and entrepreneurship had never been the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) strong suit. And as a country, Pakistan didn’t appear to have the economic might to generate millions of dollars for a sports extravaganza.

And yet, here it is: the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Breathing and blossoming. To be sure, the tournament hasn’t seen a ball bowled, and there are still many a step between the cup and the lip. But the PSL’s fate and fortune are aligning up rapidly.

After some haggling and hand-wringing, an opening in the calendar was finally secured and two venues in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Sharjah) were earmarked. The five team franchises – Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad and Quetta – each attracted sizeable bids from both national and international business houses. For example Karachi, which drew the highest price, was sold for 26 million dollars. The team-backed offices got organised quickly and announced the names of coaches and support staff, including luminaries such as Dean Jones, Andy Flower, Mickey Arthur, and Moin Khan. PSL picked two brilliant brand ambassadors, namely Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja. Ten Sports bought the television rights, and fans began to take notice.

Within a short time, world-class players started showing interest and made themselves available for the selection pool, which eventually expanded to 310 names, including 138 from Pakistan. Crowd-pullers such as Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara, Shahid Afridi, Kevin Pietersen and Shane Watson imparted lustre and momentum to the PSL. In a stroke of genius, the PCB opted for a player draft instead of auction, in order to avoid expensive bidding wars and ensure a level field for all franchises.

All signs now point to the PSL becoming a smashing and roaring success. Beyond that, there is also the larger question of what the rise of club-based leagues means for the structure of cricket as an international sport. Will these T20 tremors soon evolve into an earthquake that transforms cricket’s existing international order? Well, the genie is out of the bottle and it’s certainly not going back in.

This was originally published in Herald's Annual 2016 issue. To read more, subscribe to Herald in print.