Slowly and steadily, the Pakistan Super League is picking pace and along with its increase in intensity, the matches are getting interesting with passing time. In the 13th game of the tournament and we are still to find a team that can defend a total in this PSL. It is at this juncture that Karachi would face a Peshawar side which is ruling the roost right now.
While Karachi have been drubbed by Lahore in the last game, Peshawar have achieved back to back wins in their last three games to get to the top of the table. The Zalmis are behaving like a well-oiled machine with all screws fitting in place. Karachi have won two and lost two and are therefore in the middle of the table. They would be looking to get one in the kitty and get up the table with a win in this game.
In the last game, Babar Azam, the best Karachi batman along with Joe Clarke, a man in great form, failed. Yet they got to 186 in 20 overs. If these guys performed to their potential, the chances of getting past 200 would improve. Along with their batsmen getting in form, what Karachi need is their skipper getting proactive and rotating bowlers properly. Instead of giving Mohammad Amir an extra over in the last game when he was on fire, Imad Wasim gave an easy pass out to a struggling Ben Dunk, who then went on to score a winning knock.
Apart from that, the fact that Wasim did not bowl himself at all was also a drawback that he needs to work on going forward.
In their last game against Islamabad, there was nothing that Peshawar did wrong. They bowled exceedingly well, especially with Saqib Mahmood and Wahab Riaz picking wickets in tandem. The batting is clicking in every game with Haider Ali being their mainstay. Even experienced Shoaib Malik has contributed in every game by staying at the wicket and letting the likes of Tom Kohler Cadmore and Imad Wasim play their natural game.
With everything falling in place, the only thing that Peshawar would be looking for right now is to stick to each other as a team and keep ongoing.
Match Number- 13
Date and Time: 3rd March, 2021, 02:30 pm IST, 02:00 pm PST, 09:00 am GMT
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
Broadcast and Live Stream: Sony SIX and Sony LIV
Over the last 12 games, teams batting second have won the game, indicating that pitch gets better as the game progresses and especially in night games because the dew settles in. However, in a day game too, the pitch just keeps getting better. In the early period, it has something in it to offer to fast bowlers, some juices from the surface to help them swing the ball. Similar assistance is expected in this game as the pitch would most likely remain flat for the rest of the time.
The weather is expected to stay moderate and dry during the day with hot winds blowing in from the Thar desert to the north-east of Karachi. However, the temperatures would be around the early thirties helping players preserve themselves from heat. The team winning the toss, would without a doubt bowl first.
Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Joe Clarke (wk), Colin Ingram, Mohammad Nabi, Daniel Christian, Imad Wasim (c), Waqas Maqsood, Mohammad Amir, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Ilyas
Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz (c), Saqib Mahmood, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Imran, Umaid Asif
Kamran Akmal (wk), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Babar Azam (c), Joe Clarke, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Nabi, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Saqib Mahmood, Mohammad Amir