Kings in do-or-die situation against Qalandars today

By Our Correspondent
June 17, 2021

KARACHI: Holders Karachi Kings will face Lahore Qalandars in what could be a tight clash of the HBL PSL-6 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (today).

Advertisement

The match begins at 11pm PST.

Lahore Qalandars need a win to ensure their playoffs spot while Kings require a win to stay alive as they have just six points from eight meetings.

Kings skipper Imad Wasim said they will try their best to press for the playoffs spot. “We are in a nothing to lose situation and we need to step up,” Imad said. “Yes we will go out there and will try our best. Now there is no room for mistake,” he was quick to add.

Losing back-to-back matches due to poor batting display, Lahore’s batsmen will need to take time at the crease as Abu Dhabi pitches offer some support to the seamers who have been doing a great job.

Sohail Akhtar will need to raise his captaincy and will have to make some shrewd decisions on the field. Lahore desperately need their seasoned batsman Mohammad Hafeez to return to form.

Fakhar Zaman will need to establish a solid foundation for his side as he has been in fine nick and a couple of good contributions with the willow can take his side to the top two. Lahore have ten points from eight matches.

Kings will mainly depend on Babar Azam who is fit as per Kings’ spokesman. “He went for a scan last night, was cleared in all reports and has returned to the squad,” Kings’ spokesman said on Wednesday.

In the other match, Islamabad United will take on Peshawar Zalmi at 6pm PST. United, being on top of the points table with 12 points, are already in the playoffs. Shadab-led side will try to add to the victories to top the league stage which will help them in the playoffs stage.

Asif Ali is in terrific form and so is Iftikhar Ahmed who played a couple of superb innings. Colin Munro is another success story for United so far as he has played a couple of match-winning knocks with staggeringly high strike rates.

Zalmi will be looking to break the winning momentum of the United. Zalmi also are in top form. Although they will be missing David Miller who has returned to South Africa due to national commitment, they have got a batsman in the form of Hazratullah Zazai who played a superb knock against Karachi Kings on Tuesday night, equalling Kamran Akmal’s fastest fifty record — he reached his fifty off 17 balls.

Zalmi’s skipper Wahab Riaz is in great form and the way he got rid of Babar Azam on Tuesday gave a huge boost to Zalmi, who managed to restrict Kings to 108, which Zalmi chased in 11 overs after losing just four wickets.

Advertisement