Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi: PSL 2020, Match 2, Preview

The much awaited fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League has been launched with a dazzling colourful opening ceremony. The inaugural match was played between defending champions Quetta Gladiators and two-time winners Islamabad United, which the Gladiators won by three wickets last night at the National Stadium Karachi.

Today, on the second day of the tournament, there will be two matches: first between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi at 3-00 pm at the same venue and later the second between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans at 7-00 pm at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

In the first match, all rounder Imad Wasim will lead the Kings, the hosts, while the Zalmi will be captained by the West Indies' veteran cricketer Darren Sammy, who has always been very popular to the Pakistani cricket lovers.

Peshawar Zalmi are the one-time winners as they had received the coveted PSL trophy in the second edition - in 2017 whereas they have been the runners-up for the last two consecutive years - in 2018 and 2019.

On the other side, Karachi Kings could not win the tournament nor they were the runners-up. They achieved the fourth position in the first and the fourth editions - in 2016 and 2019 and placed third in two successive editions - 2017 and 2018.

In today's match, both teams are balanced but the Zalmi are looking a better side on the basis of their past performance with one first and two second spots. They were the runners-up for the last two successive years.

They have a galaxy of national and international stars like Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Kieron Pollard, Carlos Brathwaite, Wahab Riaz and Sammy along with Hasan Ali, Rahat Ali, Liam Dawson, Lewis Gregory, Imam-ul-Haq, Liam Livingstone, Umar Amin and Tom Banton.

Karachi Kings on other hand are not looking much better sider on paper as they have not so many big names but they have a great consistant batsman Babar Azam who can steer the Kings to win the match.

Besides Babar, they have other good players like Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Cameron Delport, Chadwick Walton and Imad. Sharjeel Khan is also appearing in this edition after a long absence due to ban.

However, the match is expected to be a good interesting thriller.