Peshawar Zalmi finds itself in a tough spot to qualify for the PSL 2018 semi-finals. They currently have six points from eight matches and must win their remaining two to qualify. The Karachi Kings are in a better spot but they also need at least one win from their last two matches to be certain of qualification. There are quality players on both sides and we expect all teams to play with a real sense of purpose going forward.
Match Preview
Peshawar Zalmi
There is a lot that needs to go right Peshawar to be able to win their next two matches. It is a situation similar to the one they faced last year and that should give them confidence. This year, though, Peshawar Zalmi has looked like a team struggling to gain any sort of momentum.
Kamran Akmal at the top of the order is having a poor season. As the leading scorer for Peshawar and the entire league for that matter last season, Akmal was expected to lead the batting. Mohammad Hafeez is also someone that just does not have the tempo for T20 cricket. He is slightly better than Ahmed Shehzad of the Multan Sultans but both of them face way too many dot balls.
Peshawar has so far depended upon Dwayne Smith to get them momentum during batting. Smith actually has two runs lesser than Mohammad Hafeez in the tournament but his strike rate of 130.40 for the tournament is much better.
Smith has also hit 14 sixes in the tournament compared to just 7 for Hafeez.
Rikki Wessels in the middle order and Darren Sammy coming later will also have a very important role to play in the upcoming two matches. Peshawar will be happy to have the services of Hasan Ali once again in this tournament but their bowling is still a little suspect.
Wahab Riaz and Hasan Ali are out and out wicket-takers. Riaz, though, can frequently be quite expensive in T20 matches. We like Liam Dawson’s bowling and think he has done an excellent job this season.
These are the three bowlers who will be tasked with bowling the Karachi Kings out and keeping the runs down as well.
Peshawar Zalmi is going to have its hands full to try and get over the line against Karachi but they certainly possess the personnel to be able to do so.
Karachi Kings
The last match that the Karachi Kings lost to the Lahore Qalandars has to be one of the most exciting T20 matches every played in the PSL. There were many times, including the last scheduled ball of the match, when it seemed that Karachi had won the match but they kept flubbing it up.
The Karachi Kings are still in a good position from which they should qualify but will not rest easy until they have that elusive additional victory. Karachi Kings has been one our favorite teams this year. They have played with passion in every single match and has one of the best bowling lineups in the competition.
Shahid Afridi has made an immediate difference to the team as his bowling remains extremely difficult to score off. Alongside him, bowlers like the world-class Mohammad Amir, the hugely impressive Usman Khan, and Imad Wasim as well.
Mohammad Irfan Junior has also shown a happy knack of picking up wickets at important intervals while Ravi Bopara can be depended upon to provide a couple of overs in every match. This is an attack with a lot of flexibility and variety.
Of course, Afridi and Amir will be the two biggest threats to Peshawar and we won’t be surprised to see them seen off by the opposition batsmen without taking too many risks.
Karachi Kings also have a very dangerous batting lineup. Lendl Simmons has just started to get into some excellent form and can be very destructive going forward. Simmons is actually underrated by the cricketing community but has performed well for years now around the world.
His opening partner Joe Denly is very dangerous as well and can hit the long ball with ease. With Babar Azam to make sure the inning continues to tick along at a nice tempo, the Karachi Kings have the opportunity to bat aggressively around him.
Colin Ingram has been disappointing in the tournament so far. He has not passed the fifty run mark and just has a total of 139 runs so far. The business end of the tournament, though, could see him come into his own and make a difference for Karachi.
Following these four are the all-rounders. Ravi Bopara, Shahid Afridi, and Imad Wasim are all capable batsmen but not players whom you would like to see on the wicket too early.
The Karachi Kings have an excellent T20 setup and have been playing well in this tournament. They just need to keep their composure and do the job one more time to book their place in the semi-finals.
Pitch and Conditions
The pitch at Sharjah tends to help the spinners more than the one at Dubai. The small boundaries may help the batsmen in scoring some big runs as well. Accurate bowlers who bowl stump to stump and spinners that get some purchase off the surface are going to be difficult to score off. Scores of around 160 should be considered as slightly above par.
The weather is expected to be dry, hot, with no chance of rain.
Our Prediction
The Karachi Kings have beaten Peshawar Zalmi in three out of the last five matches they have played against them, including the last one earlier this season. We have no hesitation in backing Karachi to do the job again in this match.
Karachi Kings to win.
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