Defending champions Islamabad United will face Lahore Qalandars in their all-important match of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) to be played at National Stadium, here on Saturday (today). Good news for Karachiites that HBL PSL enters Pakistan after 26 matches in the United Arab Emirates and tickets for National Stadium matches are still available through yayvo.com as well as designated TCS Express Centres.
This time uncertainty surrounds Islamabad United, the two-time PSL winner because of eight points in nine games. It badly needs a win to qualify for the play-offs for which Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi have already qualified.
If lost, its fate will be linked with the results of Lahore Qalandars' last match against Multan Sultans and also those two matches Karachi Kings will play against Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators.
Islamabad captain Mohammad Sami asserted his team can snatch a win and qualify for the last stages. "I think this is the right time to peak," he said Friday as teams began practicing at refurbished National Stadium in Karachi. "Players might not have done well in the last few matches but everyone knows that now is the right time to peak and do well in the knock-out games," he said, expressing hope the players would do well in these matches. He hastened to underscore the fact that T20 cricket is tough and a player cannot perform all the time. He hoped people would come largely to make the HBL PSL matches a big success.
"This is my home town and home ground. I am happy that all our foreign players are here and it is good for Pakistan cricket," Sami said, expressing certainty on huge excitement.
Islamabad United had been in a good position until they lost to Peshawar by four wickets, followed by their 43-run defeat against Quetta Gladiators. Two defeats immensely emasculated their ranking. However, similar situation confronted them in 2016 as well but they finally snatched victory from the jaw of defeat.
Lahore once again remains in the danger zone, with just six points from their eight games and also lost key batsman AB de Villiers due to his back injury that forced him stay away from Pakistan for the last two round matches.
The next defeat will push the Lahore team out the league.
Fakhar Zaman who replaced Villers as captain believes his team can lift the tempo. "We know these two matches are very important. We are up to challenge and hope that two wins will take us to the play-offs," he said, adding that Lahore Qalandars would try their best.
He said he was not taking any pressure although captaincy is a challenge for him. He said he had done it before but not at this big level. Bad luck has hit the team as its regular captain Mohammad Hafeez suffered thumb fracture finding it impossible to continue after just two matches.
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