Quetta Gladiators comprehensively defeated Karachi Kings by eight wickets in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Saturday.

There was plenty to take away from the match:

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After two nights of blockbuster crowds, the stands wore a deserted look for the first match of the third day as Karachi Kings took on Quetta Gladiators.

Is this the first litmus test for the PSL’s success? Perhaps. Only a detailed analysis can reveal the precise reason for why people didn’t show up.

Should only one match be organised per day so that more people can join the start of play? Does ticketing need to be reviewed? Does the PSL need greater celebrity power?

Of course no tournament organiser wants empty stands in their premier T20 league, but with the first two days already showing what the PSL can do at its best, it’d be a shame if Pakistan’s premier T20 league is played out before empty stands.

There are lessons to be learnt from each day of the league, and if those are heeded, the second season should see blockbuster crowds every night.

That beaming Viv Richards smile can power a windmill. Away from the grind and politics of West Indian cricket, King Viv seems so much at home when being valued and given the respect he commands.

Quetta Gladiators is the perfect team for the purpose, with their owners having pedigree in sports management and their players in awe of being around Viv.

If these weeks ahead of the World T20 can unlock a new dimension to Ahmed Shehzad and Sarfraz Ahmed, we’d all need to pull out #ThankYouVivSharif.

Speaking of Shehzad, his performance was absolute — providing national selectors enough of a reason to keep faith for the World T20-bound side.

After Luke Wright’s departure, the pressure was all on Ahmed Shehzad to steer his team home.

He had scored 41 off 27 balls till then, and he got out on 71 off 46, he departed with just 10 needed and about four overs to go.

The feet were moving; despite playing out 14 dots, there were also 19 singles to complement the big hits.

But a note of caution: all Ahmed Shehzad fans know that too often, good performances are immediately followed by a lengthy barren spell.

Gladiators’ prolonged success depends on their openers firing as they can, and Shehzad needs to replicate his performance today and maintain some consistency.

A note of optimism: Shehzad has King Viv and KP by his side.

Nauman Anwar registered a second duck in two matches, perhaps feeling the weight of anticipation and expectation that had been put on his shoulders before the league started.

He perished trying to press too hard and it seems as if he has lost his chance to impress ahead of World T20 squad selection.

But there was another disappointment that merits attention: Sohail Tanvir.

Although he leaked 24 runs in his three overs, here was a medium pacer without ideas as much as he was out of pace.

Tanvir finds himself in a position similar to Azhar Ali: they are both useful squad options in reserve but not necessarily part of the first-choice XI.

Compare this with the pace battery unleashed by Peshawar Zalmi — allowing them to attack at will throughout the innings, Kings have had Tanvir lobbing his dollies in the middle of the innings.

With a very healthy spin department, and a resurgent Amir charging in, Kings already has most of the puzzle solved. It is time for Sohail Khan to inject some pace and teeth upfront.

Mohammad Nawaz impressed again and as we speak, Mohammad Asghar has picked off Umar Akmal.

Welcome to the future.

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The writer tweets @ASYusuf