Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi will play each other in the 27th game of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season on 17th May at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Match Preview:
PSL X is back as it was paused due to tension between Pakistan and India. Now, everything is settled so the 10th edition of the PSL is back with a crucial game between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi.
A win for Peshawar will keep their hopes alive for the playoffs in this tournament. Peshawar will miss the services of Michael Owen as he is now part of the Punjab Kings for the remainder of the IPL season. Nevertheless, Luke Wood and TKC are with the squad and it will give the sides a major boost.
Peshawar Zalmi have revived their campaign with back-to-back victories shortly before the mid-season break. Early on, Babar Azam’s team appeared unsteady, but they gradually started to strike the ideal balance between bat and ball. Tonight’s victory would put them squarely in the running for a top-four finish for the third time in a row.
And of course, both Babar and Wood will have a key role to play if they want to beat the red-hot Karachi Kings. Since Alzarri Joseph will be unavailable for the rest of the season because of national duty, the onus will be on Wood to keep up the great form.
If Karachi win the upcoming game of the season, they will qualify for the next round of the PSL as under the leadership of David Warner, the side has produced great results and close contests.
In their last game, before the halt, Irfan Khan Niazi played a magical innings, beating the arch-rivals, Lahore Qalandars, as he smashed unbeaten 48 off 21. Kings would be happy as their top-performers and key players are rejoining the team. The captain Warner, James Vince, Tim Seifert will join the squad including the Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi.
With a convincing victory tonight, Karachi Kings, who are also on a two-game winning streak, will try to secure their top-two position. David Warner’s club appears ready for a deep playoff run now that its key players are back for the rest of the competition.
Both ends of the equation are clear. Zalmi must win tonight to maintain control over their playoff fate, while Karachi can secure a qualifying spot with a victory.
Probable Playing XI:
Peshawar Zalmi:
Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Max Bryant, Hussain Talat, Ahmed Daniyal, Luke Wood, Ali Raza, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Karachi Kings:
David Warner (c), Tim Seifert, James Vince, Saad Baig, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Mir Hamza, Hasan Ali, Aamer Jamal, Abbas Afiridi.
Head-to-head record:
A total of 22 games have been played between the two sides, with Zalmi having an edge as they have won 15 while Kings could attain victory in 7.
Pitch and weather report:
As it usually does, it is expected that Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will once again benefit batters. High scores might be possible with short boundaries and real bounce.
However, tonight’s true X-factor might be the heat. Even after dusk, temperatures are still close to 40°C, so the game might be as much of an endurance challenge as anything.
Prediction:
Given how Karachi won their last game, they are expected to win this upcoming clash in the PSL.
Where to watch:
Pakistan (TV): A Sports HD, PTV Sports
Pakistan (Live Streaming): tapmad, Tamasha, Daraz, myco, bogn
UK: Sky Sports, Geo News (Sky 734)
North America: Willow
Africa: SuperSport
MENA Region: myco
Bangladesh: T Sports
Sri Lanka & Afghanistan: Sony Sports Network
Rest of the World: Sports Central
