The PSL has moved to Karachi — the venue of the remaining 20 matches of the competition, including the three play-offs and the final. At the end of the first leg of the league — featuring 14 matches played in Lahore and Multan — Multan Sultans top the table with five wins from six games, followed by Quetta Gladiators (three wins from four games) and Peshawar Zalmi (three wins from five games).
However, what needs a particular mention here is the disappointing — rather shocking — performance of Lahore Qalandars. The two-time champions, currently led by the national one-day skipper and speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi, have yet to register a victory in the six games they have played so far. The Qalandars are unanimously regarded as the most balanced team of the competition, enjoying the services of proven stars like Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafiq, Haris Rauf, David Wiese, Rassie van der Dussen and of course skipper Afridi. The franchise owners too are pretty generous as regards provision of facilities for the players. Their talent-hunt and player development programmes are also well-known and well recognised. With four more matches left for Qalandars, it would be a miracle if they make it to the play-offs. On the contrary, Multan Sultans have been the most outstanding side so far with just one defeat, that too by a very small margin of five runs.
Among individual performers, Babar Azam, the Peshawar Zalmi skipper, has been on top among the batters with 330 runs in five games, including a 63-ball 111 which is the highlight of the tournament so far. Among the blowers, medium pacer Mohammad Ali and leg-spinner Usama Mir, both of Multan Sultans, are the leading wicket-takers at 13 each.
Excitement is, meanwhile, soaring with the competition progressing towards the play-offs stage. So fans, stay put for more thrilling and captivating games ahead!
Published in The Express Tribune, February 29th, 2024.
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