PSL 5: Karachi Kings vs Lahore Qalandars – The Battle Is On!

WEB DESK: For the uninitiated, it would seem like a normal grand finale featuring two strong teams that defied all odds to reach the big stage. However, the final of the Pakistan Super League’s fifth season means a lot more to the fans of Cricket in Pakistan.

It is not going to be just another grand finale because of many reasons; both sides had the worst record before the fifth season began earlier this year and the battle of supremacy between Karachi and Lahore has been ongoing since the creation of Pakistan.

Winning the trophy would bring their struggle to a full circle and make them champions from a wannabe that couldn’t reach the final in four tries.

To assess both teams, lets’ analyze their best players and their performances this year; after all, Cricket is a team game, and the more match-winners you have, the better!

Karachi’s Star Players

Babar Azam might not be the captain of Karachi Kings but his performance has been pivotal to the team’s rise; in 11 matches of PSL-V, Babar has scored 410 runs at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 123, making him the highest run-getter in the tournament.He may not have scored a century in the event but with the help of 48 fours and five sixes, he has managed four half-centuries that propelled his side into the finals.

Then there is Mohammad Amir who may have been dropped from the national side.

The way he bowled the Super Over in the qualifier was just magical; despite bowling two wides, he restricted the Multan Sultans to just 9 runs when they needed 14 to qualify for the grand finale.He is also amongst the top wicket-takers of the event and would like to add more to his tally of 10 wickets for Karachi Kings and send a reminder to the very Chief Selector Misbah ul Haq who dropped him for lack of form.

Throughout the world, Alex Hales is feared by bowlers for he can hit the good ball for six, and a bad ball for four without breaking a sweat. He has scored 261 runs in the event at an average 52, at a strike rate of 151 with the help of 24 fours and 12 sixes and had he not been run out in the qualifier against Multan Sultans, the match might not have reached the Super Over level, as he would have ensured that it ended way before.

And then there is the Karachi Kings Captain Imad Wasim who can bat, bowl, and field besides leading the side well.

He has improved a lot in this season and the way he steered his side towards a Super Over was nothing short of commendable.He can bat according to the situation, deliver an over or two when the going is tough, and stop runs from happening through his fielding.

With Wasim Akram to guide him as interim Coach and late Coach Dean Jones looking after them from above, there is nothing that can stop them from becoming Champions this year.

Lahore’s Star Players   

If you want to know what ‘form of your life’ is, then look at the performance of two players in the Lahore side, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez.

The former is currently part of the Pakistan squad as a leading bowler in all three formats, Mohammad Hafeez is there as a limited-overs specialist.

Shaheen’s 17 wickets in 11 matches of PSL-V has placed him on top of the bowling list and if he keeps bowling the way he did against Zimbabwe or in the National T20 tournament, he might end up as the leading bowler in the event.The same goes for the 40-year-old Hafeez who has so far scored 310 runs in the event at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 127; with the help of 28 fours and 11 massive sixes.

He has scored 2 half-centuries, one of which proved too much for Peshawar Zalmi in the first Eliminator.On paper, Sohail Akhtar might be the Captain of Lahore Qalandars but on the field, David Weise is running the show.

He can score runs, take wickets, and apply pressure as the senior member of the side who uses all his experience to guide his young side to the final.In the first Eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi, not only did he take two important wickets but hit two massive sixes to rescue his side; in the second Eliminator, his 48 not out off 21 balls and three wickets helped his side reach the finals.

With 186 runs to his name at a strike rate of 117 and 12 wickets, he has emerged as the leading all-rounder of the event, and his performance in the final on Tuesday would be crucial to his team’s success.

Former Australian Ben Dunk is a force to reckon with when it comes to T20 and in PSL-V, he has proved his worth by scoring runs and keeping wickets against the best bowlers.So far in the event, he has held onto 9 catches behind the stumps, making him the most successful keeper whereas his 289 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 175 have helped his side immensely.

His performance would be crucial to his team’s success on Tuesday against Karachi Kings which would be playing such an important match at their home ground.