PSL 2024 | LAH vs ISL, Match 1- Top Captain and Vice- Captain Picks

image-lspta14zShaheen Afridi will be a great pick as the captain or vice-captain of the match (Source: x.com)

It's that time of the year when the best of the lot from Pakistan comes together with an international mixture to produce a stellar show across the Asian nation. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is back and match one will see Lahore Qalandars (LAH) square off against Islamabad United (ISL) at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The action is slated to begin at 8:30 PM IST.

The Qalandars etched the title for the last couple of years under the astute leadership of Shaheen Afridi. They have been brilliant and shall look to replicate their past heroics again. Meanwhile, the Islamabad United were the champions for the first three seasons before an inconsistent run in the competition. Shadab Khan and co. will try their best to kickoff the season with a bang this time. 

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LAH vs ISL, Match 1- Toss Factor

The Gaddafi Stadium saw a humongous score of 241 in the last season, courtesy of their home team. However, the venue saw totals around 150s and 160s during the latest international fixture here between New Zealand and Pakistan in 2023. Assuming that it should be a fresh strip, the batters should enjoy the outing. 

Scenario: If Lahore Qalandars field first

The Qalandars boast of a terrific bowling unit with the presence of Shaheen, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Imran Khan Jr. With Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman and Rassie van der Dussen set to occupy the top three positions their batting looks better than previous editions and they could chase totals with ease.

Scenario: If Islamabad United field first

The United side have a good number of essential spinners with the captain being one of them. The addition of Imad Wasim and Agha Salman further strengthens the department. Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah (subject to fitness) will be key with the new ball while chasing will depend a lot on dynamic cricketers such as Azam Khan, Colin Munro, Alex Hales and Jordan Cox. 


LAH vs ISL, Match 1- Top Captain and Vice- Captain Picks

Scenario: If Lahore Qalandars field first

Shaheen Afridi (LAH): The left-arm pacer is one of the biggest threats to the opposition with the new ball. But the best part about Shaheen is that he keeps on evolving his game and the 2023 World Cup saw him scalp more wickets with the old ball. He can also bring up some quickfire with the bat late down the order.

Imad Wasim (ISL): The all-rounder has been playing competitive cricket across the globe despite not getting chances in the national set-up. Wasim is very economical with the ball and tends to create pressure on the batter's mind to extract healthy amount of wickets. He can also be more than handy with the willow. 


Scenario: If Islamabad United field first

Fakhar Zaman (LAH): The left-handed dashing batter has the record for most number of fifty-plus scores (20) in the rich history of PSL. The southpaw has been in good nick offlate and will look to make the most of the opportunities in PSL ahead of the T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA.

Colin Munro (ISL): The New Zealand top-order batter is likely to wear a similar colour jersey as that for the Desert Vipers in ILT20. Although his stable batting was not enough for his side to yield desired results in the lucrative league, Munro will look to start afresh in Pakistan's premier T20 competition. 


LAH vs ISL, Match 1- High Risk, High Rewards

Shadab Khan (ISL): The captain has not been in the best of his form be it with the cherry or be it with the wooden dagger. However, Shadab will look to capitalise on favourable conditions and bring the best out of three-dimensional skills in the ensuing tournament.

Zaman Khan (LAH): The right-arm pacer is unique in his own way but had a tournament to forget after replacing Naseem Shah in the 2023 Asia Cup. He is a brilliant slog overs bowler and his slingy-action coupled with the deadly yorkers could dethrone any batter in modern times.