Pakistan Super League Season: 6
Venue and Time: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi at 8 pm Local time (9.30 pm IST)
Team News:
Babar Azam who is the leading scorer of the PSL has scored 423 runs in 8 matches at an average of 84.80, whereas his partner Sharjeel Khan is also in the top 5 list. Sharjeel has scored 254 runs in 8 innings at an average of 31.75 and he is 5th in a top scores list. Sharjeel has scored a hundred while Babar has 5 fifties in 8 matches but despite having such top performances their side is languishing at the 5th position on the points table. There is no doubt in why Karachi Kings have lost their last 3 matches consecutively. Their bowling has been a real issue, Mohammad Amir is the most experienced bowler who has failed to deliver. He has picked only 4 wickets in 7 matches with an economy of more than 8. Captain Imad Wasim himself has had a poor tournament so far. The team needs to focus on improving their bowling. To get a better outcome, Karachi's skipper Imad Wasim needs to lead from the front.
Qalandars are also heading into this game with two consecutive losses. Their overall tournament performance has been good but somehow they lost the momentum midway. Their batting has been an issue, they could have done much better especially against Islamabad United. After having a terrific start they crumbled out of nowhere. In both of their last 2 games, they were bundled out while chasing. Their top order is failing to give good starts while their middle-order is struggling to build partnerships. Qalandars have a bunch of all-rounders who can change the course of the game in the likes of James Faulkner and Rashid Khan. Faulkner, who joined the team for the Abu Dhabi league has picked 11 wickets in just 4 games at an economy of 6.18. Meanwhile, his partner in crime Shaheen Shah Afridi has picked 12 wickets at an economy of 7.12. The bowling department has played a vital role in the Abu Dhabi leg victories, but to get over the line their batting department needs to display their skills.
Probable Playing XI:
Karachi Kings: Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Martin Guptill, Najibullah Zadran, Chadwick Walton (wk), Imad Wasim (c), Aamer Yamin, Abbas Afridi, Waqas Maqsood, Mohammad Amir, Noor Ahmed
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar (c), Muhammad Faizan, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wk), Tim David, James Faulkner, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Ahmed Daniyal
Key players to watch out for:
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Rashid Khan, Tim David, James Faulkner
Karachi Kings: Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Chadwick Walton, Mohammad Amir
Dream11 Fantasy Team:
Wicket-Keeper: Chadwick Walton
Batsmen: M Guptill, S Khan, F Zaman(VC), S Akhtar
All-Rounders: J Faulkner(C), M Hafeez
Bowlers: Rashid Khan, M Amir, S Afridi, H Rauf
Predictions:
If Karachi bat first, they should score around 165-180. However, if Lahore bat first they should end up scoring 150-165. As the result of this game, we are going with Karachi Kings as the victorious side.
Pitch Report:
We've seen that considering the amount of dew coming in, the idea should be to chase. Lahore, although, might bat first considering the fact that they've struggled to chase down the total. Pitches have been pretty neutral so far.
(The Final Dream11 Squad of this game will be posted on our Telegram Channel 10 minutes post toss)
Note: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. Please ensure that while you select your team, consider the points that are mentioned and make your own decision accordingly.
