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Abdullah Shafique In For Sahibzada Farhan? Here’s Lahore Qalandars' Probable XI Vs Peshawar

Sahibzada Farhan in action in PSL 2024 (AP)Sahibzada Farhan in action in PSL 2024 (AP)

Two-time PSL champions Lahore Qalandars have fallen back to their pre-2020 era, when they constantly finished at the bottom of the points table. The defending champions' aspirations of a hat-trick of title wins ceased to exist after the side suffered as many as six consecutive losses. Meanwhile, as Lahore gears up to face Peshawar Zalmi, will Shaheen Afridi take some bold steps?

Lahore Qalandars' combination for this year's PSL season hasn't hit the right spot. The absence of spin wizard Rashid Khan is hurting the team more grievously than previously anticipated. To rub salt in the wound further, Haris Rauf has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with shoulder dislocation.

Needless to say, Shaheen Afridi is lacking the formidable troops necessary to salvage the season. Having said that, ahead of the do-or-die game against Peshawar Zalmi, Afridi must make one change at the top to strengthen the batting order.

The one many would agree on is that Shaheen has failed to utilize the right resources available at his helm. In the last game against Multan Sultans, Lahore played Salman Fayyaz as an all-rounder. But Salman was only allowed one over in the field and came in at No. 10 to bat.

In hindsight, Fayyaz didn't add any value to the lineup. Thus, it's in the Qalandars' best interest to allow Abdullah Shafique in at the top order to strengthen the batting lineup. 

Lahore simply has too many all-rounders, which they absolutely do not need. It's causing a mess, which is only adding to Afridi's conundrum. Besides, Shafique will provide cushion to Fakhar Zaman and Van der Dussen as a proper batter in the middle order.

Additionally, the Qalandars can promote Mirza Tahir Baig, who has been warming the bench for the longest time. He can come in as a batting all-round option for Kamran Ghulam to further add strength to the offense.

Overall, the right changes are the need of the hour for Lahore Qalandars to somehow stay alive in the PSL 2024 season playoff race.

Lahore Qalandars Probable XI vs Peshawar Zalmi

Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Sikandar Raza, George Linde, Carlos Brathwaite, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Afridi (c), Zaman Khan