• Home
  • Cricket News
  • Peshawar Vs Quetta Preview Experienced Troops To Engage In Known Combat

Peshawar vs Quetta Preview: Experienced troops to engage in known combat

Onecricket

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has already provided some interesting and exciting encounters since it resumed on June 9 in Abu Dhabi and another clash of similar sorts can be expected when Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators take on each other on Saturday, 12 June. 

The reason behind expecting a thriller is the zeal and the hunger that the two teams would have when they face each other. 

Just going back in time a bit when the PSL was suspended due to the rise in COVID-19 cases within the franchises, Quetta had played five matches till then and suffered defeats in four of them and were bottom placed with just two points under their belt. 

Another reason that the Gladiators would be striving for a win against Zalmi is the last match that the two sides played against each other. It was a high-scoring encounter in Karachi that saw Zalmi chase down a big target of 199 runs with 3 wickets in hand and as many balls to spare. 

The memories of that match would still be very fresh in the minds of Quetta players and they would look to turn the tables on Saturday. 

Peshawar on the other side were enjoying a decent outing in the first leg of the tournament but had a horrible start to the second leg on Thursday when they were defeated by Lahore Qalandars. 

Standing at the losing end is probably fine and is part and parcel of the game but never when you reduce your opponent, batting first to 25/4 and then giving away the match. This is exactly what happened with the Wahab Riaz-led side. 

Despite picking up early wickets while bowling first, Zalmi bowling unit were taken on by Ben Dunk (48 off 33) and Tim David (64* off 36). Later, James Faulkner chipped in with a 7-ball 22 to help his side put up a brilliant score of 170/8 in 20 overs. Qalandars eventually won the match by 10 runs. 

Nevertheless, this is not the end of the world and the tournament has just resumed. But the Peshawar side definitely needs to keep a check on the way they gave away runs against Lahore to get themselves back in the hunt. They have three wins and as many defeats in the six PSL matches so far in the competition. 

Match Details

Match: Quetta Gladiators vs Peshawar Zalmi, Match 19

Date and Time: 12th June 2021, at 9:30 PM IST

Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Pitch Report

The track in Abu Dhabi might be slow. The batsmen need to begin the proceedings cautiously and not go for big shots straight away. 

The spinners would play a key role in the middle overs while the dew can also be a major factor in the later stage of the game. Still, if you win the toss, elect to field first. 

Team News

Peshawar Zalmi: Peshawar won’t be looking to make many changes in their playing XI but captain Wahab needs to rejig his on-field planning. For instance, the decision of giving the ball to Fabian Allen against Ben Dunk despite having an idea about the latter’s strike-rate against the left-arm spinners. Allen eventually returned with an economy rate of 12 in three overs. 

The think tank still has time to make a note of such mistakes and get the side bank on track. Talking about the squad, Peshawar have experienced customers like Shoaib Malik, Wahab himself, David Miller, Kamran Akmal in the ranks who can chip in with crucial contributions when required. 

In fact, Malik did try his best to take his team over the line but unfortunately, he was hit wicket for 73 off 48 and failed to take his team over the line.

Quetta Gladiators: Quetta have probably acquired the services of one of the finest all-rounders in the world especially in T20 format, Andre Russell. He is mighty dangerous with the bat when he is on song, can chip in with crucial overs and is a spectacular fielder. 

The Caribbean cricketer is a perfect example of a three-dimensional player who has the ability to win matches for his side single-handedly. 

Apart from the West Indies all-rounder, Gladiators are ‘blessed’ to have two of the most experienced lads not just in their own setup but in the PSL, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Faf du Plessis. 

The two have led their national sides and do have an idea about how to get their sides out from a tricky situation. Faf had shown his class for CSK in the now suspended IPL with the bat while Sarfaraz on the other hand might be more popular for his ‘yawning’ photo that went viral during the World Cup 2019 but no one can take away the fact that he is one of the most successful captains that Pakistan had. 

His captain’s trophy cabinet has a U19 World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy. 

The wicket-keeper’s experience as a skipper would play a vital role in how Gladiators fare. 

Probable XI

Peshawar Zalmi

Kamran Akmal (wk), Imam ul Haq, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, David Miller, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Fabian Allen, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Irfan, Rovman Powell

Quetta Gladiators

Usman Khan, Faf du Plessis, Cameron Delport, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c&wk), Azam Khan, Andre Russell, Mohammad Nawaz, Zahid Mehmood, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Khan Shinwari and Jack Wildermuth

Fantasy XI

Sarfaraz Ahmed, Azam Khan, Shoaib Malik (VC), Faf du Plessis, Haider Ali, Andre Russell (C), Mohammad Nawaz, Wahab Riaz, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Hasnain and Zahid Mehmood 

Discover more

Top Stories
news

WATCH: Riled up Shakib Al Hasan rips out stumps, abuses umpire; apologises later

Bangladesh's star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has apologised publicly on his social media handle after making headlines for all the wrong reasons earlier in the day. A couple of visuals from the Dhaka Premier League went viral over social media where Shakib was seen abusing the umpire over an unfavourable decision. Not a one-off incident, Shakib was seen losing his cool twice during a Dhaka Premier League match. In the first instance, the left-handed batsman was seen having a heated argument with the umpire after the latter turned down an LBW appeal from the bowler and was then caught on the cameras while disrupting the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Later in his apology note, Shakib said that an experienced player like him should have known better in that situation and that he sorry for ruining the match for everyone. The incident took place in the DPL match between Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani Limited in Dhaka. Batting first, Shakib-led side Mohammedan Sporting Club scored 145/6 in 20 overs. The left-handed batsman top-scored with 37 off 27 while Mahmudul Hasan remained unbeaten at 30 off 22. Aks Swadhin picked up a three-wicket haul for his Abhani Limited side while Tanzim Hasan Sakib returned with a couple of scalps to his name. The Bangladesh player earlier pulled out of the ongoing Pakistan Super League to play the DPL and will in most likelihood not be a part of the remainder of the Indian Premier League. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has strictly said that they won't be granting No Objection Certificates to their players with the T20 World Cup on the line. Shakib has had a tumultuous time over the past couple of years, first getting banned for not revealing a corrupt approach to the integrity officers and then later in his public rift with the BCB.

news

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel loses sleep over comeback after long time

Making a comeback into the Test team after a long time away from the game due to injury, New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel felt like making a fresh start to his Test career, and could not sleep throughout the night leading up to the first day of the second Test against England. “There were definitely nerves. I couldn’t get to sleep last night, I couldn’t figure out why… I got into bed quite early but the eyes just weren’t helping me. There was excitement as well, a long time between drinks,” Patel said in the post-match press conference. Patel last played for the Blackcaps in the home series against India and missed the entire New Zealand summer in the late last year and early this year due to injury. However, the spinner said he remained ‘positive’ and focussed more on improving other aspects of his game while spending time away from the game. “It’s been challenging. The injuries didn’t really help my cause, and our conditions not really favouring spinners much. At the same time, I always try to take the positive out of a negative. I used that time to work on a few things in my game; my fitness and my batting,” Patel added. The pitch at Edgbaston offered Patel some real purchase for a first-day pitch and he said that spinners should be itching to ‘thrive’ on opportunities on such pitches to bring change in fortune for their sides. He expressed his readiness to change the game for the Blackcaps by taking extra responsibility if the team can set things up nicely in the first innings. “As a spinner, you thrive on opportunities like that, test cricket on a surface where it’s giving you some assistance to pull something together for the team. That’s something I enjoy the challenge of and extra responsibility. I’m looking forward to that, and hopefully we can set the game up and I can bring myself into my own,” Patel asserted. Ajaz Patel was picked in the playing XI in place of Mitchell Santner, who cut his finger in the last Test against England. He was always on the money against English batsmen and picked up two wickets of Ollie Pope and Olly Stone while giving away a mere 34 runs in his 14 overs.

news

Having good bench strength gives a lot of confidence to team management: Rahul Dravid

Former India captain and National Cricket Academy Director Rahul Dravid has said that during his stint as coach with India ‘A’ teams, he made sure that all the players who travelled with him were given a chance to showcase their talents. “I tell them upfront, if you come on an A tour with me, you will not leave here without playing a game. I’ve had that personal experience myself as a kid: going on an A tour and not getting an opportunity to play is terrible,” Dravid told ESPNcricinfo. The former cricketer further said that it was harsh on players to not get international exposure after scoring runs or picking wickets at the domestic level. “You’ve done well, you scored 700-800 runs, you go, and you don’t get a chance to show what you’re good at. And then you’re back to square one from the selectors’ point of view, because the next season you have to score those 800 runs again,” he said. The former skipper lauded the bench strength that has been created in the Indian team. "There's a good bench strength being developed and I think it gives people a lot of confidence that there are players, if the situation arises, who are in good touch and playing well," Dravid said. One of Dravid’s successful stints as a coach came in 2018 when India lifted the U19 World Cup under the captaincy of Prithvi Shaw. He doesn’t travel with the U19 and ‘A’ teams anymore but will be the head coach for the Indian side that will tour Sri Lanka in July.

news

Would pick Shardul over Siraj as he gives an extra batting option: Sarandeep Singh

Former selector Sarandeep Singh has said that the Indian team should prefer picking up Shardul Thakur over Mohammed Siraj for the WTC final against New Zealand if there are overcast conditions. "If conditions are overcast, then you can play an extra fast bowler after Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami. My pick would be Shardul though Siraj has also done very well," Sarandeep told PTI. Sarandeep further went on to suggest that Shardul can provide the team with a batting option in the lower middle order. "You will need batting options in the lower order and Shardul gives you that. The ball will do a bit at Southampton and Shardul is good at swinging the ball,” he said. Both Shardul and Siraj impressed with their performances in Australia where the Indian team won the four-match series 2-1. The visitors made a fine comeback after they were bundled out for 36 in the first match. While India defeated Australia away from home, they thumped England 3-1 on the home soil to march into the WTC final. The Virat Kohl-led side will now face the Blackcaps in Southampton for the title clash scheduled to begin on June 18. The WTC final will be followed by a five-match Test series between India and England in August. The Indian team has begun the preparations for the final. New Zealand on the other side are battling it out against England in a two-match Test series. The first encounter at Lord’s ended in a draw while the two teams are up against each in the second and final clash in Birmingham.