PSL 2022 | Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars| Match 6 Preview, Predictions, Fantasy XI

The sixth match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League will see Karachi Kings lock horns with Lahore Qalandars at the National Stadium in Karachi. This will be a crucial game for both sides, especially Karachi Kings, given the fact that they are yet to pick up points in the current season.

Karachi Kings' batting issues once again came back to bite them as they lost their second consecutive game of the ongoing season in convincing fashion. After having managed just 124/5 in their opening fixture against Multan Sultans, one would have expected a better show with the bat from the Babar Azam-led unit against the Quetta Gladiators.

However, the batting unit dished out an even worse display as they hobbled their way to a meagre 113 all out in 17.3 overs. Azam top-scored with a 29-ball 32 but the skipper would be disappointed at not converting the start into a big knock.

Barring him and Sharjeel (10 off 9 deliveries), none of the top-6 batsmen crossed second digits. The target of 114 was never going to bother Quetta given the form of their openers and it didn't.

Ahsan Ali (57 not out off 43 deliveries) and Will Smeed (30 off 35 deliveries) picked up from where they had left in the game by stitching a match-winning 76-run stand for the first wicket, paving way for yet another chastening defeat for Karachi.

Lahore Qalandars, on the other hand, suffered a similar fate in their opening fixture but unlike Karachi, it was their bowling performance that proved to be their undoing.

Batting first, the Qalandars smashed 206/5 thanks to opener Fakhar Zaman blistering 76 off 35 deliveries and brisk cameos from David Wiese (13* off 5 deliveries) and Rashid Khan (17* off 4 deliveries).

However, it eventually didn't prove to be enough as Multan's opening duo of Mohammad Rizwan (69 off 42 deliveries) and Shan Masood (83 off 50 deliveries) teed into a star-studded bowling attack-led by Shaheen Shah Afridi to stitch a match-winning 150-run stand in just 14.1 overs.

While Shaheen claimed three wickets at the expense of 40 runs in his quota, Rashid Khan was the most economical (1/28 in 4 overs). However, he would have liked a few more wickets in the last column.

Coming into this game, it is set to be a battle between Karachi's bowling and Lahore's batting. However, one gets a feeling that it's the performance of their respective weaker suits- Karachi's batting and Lahore's bowling- that will decide the course of this game.

Match Details - Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars, PSL 2022

Date: 30th January 2022

Time: 8 PM IST

Venue: National Stadium, Karachi

Broadcast: Sony Six, Sony Six HD, SonyLiV app and website

Pitch Report:

Barring Karachi Kings, the batting unit of other sides have had a pretty good time in the middle thus far, especially while chasing. The average first innings score in three night games thus far is 142 with the chasing side winning all three. One can expect both captains to field first if they win the toss.

Squads:

Karachi Kings:

Babar Azam (c), Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Amir, Chris Jordan, Mohammad Nabi, Lewis Gregory, Joe Clarke, Aamer Yamin, Umaid Asif, Tom Abell, Rohail Nazir (wk), Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Ilyas, Romario Shepherd, Imad Wasim,, Qasim Akram, Faisal Akram, Talha Ahsan.

Lahore Qalandars:

Shaheen Afridi (c),David Wiese, Sohail Akhtar, Harry Brook, Philip Salt, Dean Foxcroft, Haris Rauf, Zeeshan Ashraf, Kamran Ghulam, Abdullah Shafique, Maaz Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Rashid Khan, Samit Patel, Ahmed Daniyal, Zaman Khan, Syed Faridoun Mahmood, Ben Dunk, Akif Javed and Mohammad Imran Randhawa.

Probable Playing XI:

Karachi Kings:

Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam (c), Joe Clarke, Mohammad Nabi, Tom Lammonby, Lewis Gregory, Mohammad Taha, Aamer Yamin, Imad Wasim,, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Imran

Lahore Qalandars:

Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (WK), David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Samit Patel, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

CE Fantasy XI:

Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Fakhar Zaman (c), Abdullah Shafique, Ben Dunk (WK), Mohammad Nabi, Lewis Gregory, Imad Wasim, Rashid Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Imran

Captain: Fakhar Zaman

Vice-captain: Sharjeel Khan