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Pakistan Super League - 7 (PSL-7) 2022

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PSL's emerging talent - The future stars that franchises signed, and the ones that got away


All the playing XIs at the PSL are required to have an emerging player - that's worked well for Pakistan cricket

At the PSL, the franchises are required to field at least one emerging player in their XIs. That has led to quite a few new faces coming to the fore over the years. With the 2022 edition of the PSL on, ESPNcricinfo spoke to some of the franchises, asking them about their plans vis-à-vis emerging players and, also, to identify one young player from another team that they wish they had.

Islamabad United


Pakistan Under-19 captain Qasim Akram, whose T20 strike rate is 152.04, even though he averages only 14.90 in 21 T20s. He was in Islamabad's wishlist, and though they tried to get him on board, Karachi Kings used the right-to-match option to retain the allrounder. Qasim will be available only for the league this season, because of his engagements with the Under-19 team at the ongoing World Cup.

Why: "He is a truly modern cricketer. He can bat across the batting order and can form a great combination with Shadab [Khan] as a legspinner. He is a gun fielder too, and basically an ideal T20 player."

In the squad: Islamabad went on to pick another emerging player, from Rawalpindi, the offspinning-allrounder Mubasir Khan. As their second pick, they got top-order batter Mohammad Huraira, the second-youngest to score a first-class triple century in Pakistan.

Lahore Qalandars


Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, who they targeted in the draft, but he went to Quetta Gladiators.

Why? "He is exceptionally talented and one of the few technically correct batters in Pakistan at this level. Since he wasn't meant to be available for the entire PSL, we didn't go for him in our first pick, but we definitely wanted him. He scored a double-hundred in first-class cricket and is a proper batter who can go a long way. We wanted to be part of his development and help him grow."

In the squad: Zaman Khan, a right-arm fast bowler with a low-slung action, made a name last year in the Kashmir Premier League, playing for Rawalakot Hawks. Qalandars also have Maaz Khan, a legspinner, for the second successive season.

Quetta Gladiators

They got who they wanted - Bangalzai. It was a "pretty straightforward decision," they said.

"He was definitely our prime target. His performances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and National T20 Cup were solid, his basics are strong, and even against pacer he is really strong. There is a strike-rate issue but that is something he can work on, as he is still young and developing. When a boy is coming up through a proper process and doing well, it's an easy pick. Also, he belongs to Balochistan, and we definitely would like to elevate a talent from the region. So we have achieved what we wanted to and also picked up another emerging player, Khurram Shehzad, in the silver category."

In the squad: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai and Ashir Qureshi, a legspinner of promise.

Multan Sultans


Zaman Khan. Multan had him on their radar in 2018, and the quick bowler with a slingy action was later drafted into Pakistan's Under-17 circuit, before making his way to the Kashmir Premier League last year.

Why? "We got our targets but definitely we had one eye on him, given our past association with him. He is an exciting young boy who already has the skills at this early stage of his career and is improving with every game he plays."

In the squad: Two right-arm quicks, Abbas Afridi and Aamer Azmat.

Karachi Kings


Zaman Khan and Muhammad Zeeshan, a six-foot-eight-inch quick from Faisalabad, who didn't get a team. But Karachi had all their bases covered with a fast-bowling unit of Mohammad Amir, Chris Jordan, Aamer Yamin, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Imran Jnr and Mohammad Ilyas, from the top categories.

"We were dead set about the player we had taken in draft," they say, explaining why they didn't make a dash for the youngsters.
 

Pakistani Twitter isn't sparing Sarfaraz Ahmed after the Multan Sultans vs Quetta Gladiators PSL match


IMAGES STAFF

People are using memes to recreate how tense and downright angry the Gladiators' captain was throughout the match.
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This year's PSL is all about performance and fans are not being very forgiving of poor performances.

Take the match between the Multan Sultans, captained by Mohammad Rizwan, and the Quetta Gladiators, captained by Sarfaraz Ahmed. The Gladiators became the first team of PSL's season 7 to lose a match after winning the toss.

Sarfaraz's Gladiators lost by six runs and some Twitter users have been going after how volatile his emotions seemed on the field while the others have been wanting to lend him their shoulders and console him.

One user said that no talent can grow in the Quetta team. "Forget the chance of learning from your mistakes, if you throw a good ball, Sarfaraz arrives to say something. A person would go mad [from this]!"


Many used memes to mock Sarfaraz's anger on the field.


Some even used scenes of Feroze Khan from Aye Musht-e-Khaak to describe the tension on the pitch.



Another used an iconic meme from Bollywood film Hera Pheri.


Nana Patekar was also called in to mock Sarfaraz.

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Even PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari wasn't spared.


Some users shared clips of Rizwan's celebration after dismissing Sarfaraz.


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PSL 2022


MS Flag

MS

217/5

IU Flag

IU

(19.4/20 overs, target 218)197

Sultans won by 20 runs




 

Relief for Karachi Kings as Mohammad Amir recovers from injury​


By Web Desk
February 01, 2022



Karachi Kings’  pacer Mohammad Amir. Photo: file
Karachi Kings’ pacer Mohammad Amir.

KARACHI: In a major development for Karachi Kings, who suffered back-to-back defeats during the ongoing seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League, their star pacer Mohammad Amir has recovered from the hamstring injury.

As per the details, Kings’ fast bowler, Mohammad Amir was seen bowling with full rhythm during the practice session at the High-Performance Center Karachi today and is likely to join his team in the match against Peshawar Zalmi scheduled to be played on February 4.

It is pertinent to mention here that Amir missed out on all the three initial fixtures of his team, in which Kings had suffered defeat.

The analysts have cited the absence of an experienced pacer in the squad as one of the reasons for the current fate of the home team.

Meanwhile, Peshawar Zalmi’s Hazratullah Zazai also attended the practice session today after making recovery from COVID-19. He had tested positive for the coronavirus upon arrival in Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Zalmi’s spokesperson said that Saqib Mahmood, an English cricketer, will arrive in Pakistan tomorrow and will join the team after completing his three-day quarantine period.

Reasons why the Karachi Kings are failing in PSL 2022

During the ongoing PSL, Karachi Kings, have put up a lacklustre performance, which wasn't expected of them, especially after a change of leadership.

Babar Azam, who led Pakistan to a historic win against India in last year's T20 World Cup, is now the skipper of the Kings after the management decided to take away charge from Imad Wasim.

However, the Kings have been failing miserably to defend their totals in the last matches played at the National Stadium in Karachi.

They have lost by seven wickets to Multan Sultan, six wickets to Lahore Qalandars, and eight wickets to Quetta Gladiators — and it seems like this streak might continue.
Here are four reasons why we think they are failing:

Excessive reliance on top-order

The Kings seem to rely substantially on the top order — Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam — to get runs on the board as none of the batters after them seem to perform up to the mark.

Babar Azam's attempt to maintain his 'brand'

The skipper is trying to sustain his "brand identity" of being the man to get runs on the board for the team when it needs them the most, just like he does in international cricket.
Because of that, the 27-year-old is not scoring in the powerplay — when he should be in a hard-hitting mode — and aims at playing a longer inning as compared to other batters.

Middle-order failure

Due to too much reliance on Babar and Sharjeel and their failure to get enough scores to decrease the pressure on the batters that follow, the Karachi Kings' middle order is collapsing constantly.

None of the players in the middle order have been able to add 30 runs to the total score individually, thus, leaving the team handicapped after the dismissal of Babar and Sharjeel.
 
Karachi kings and Baber Azam Captain and his selected team 8-) Wasim Akram Coach

Some folks just set them up big time this year

Results = Unda
 
LIVE
9th Match (N), Karachi, Feb 2 2022,

Lahore Qalandars Flag

Lahore Qalandars
(12.4/20 overs)...........115/2


Peshawar Zalmi Flag

Peshawar Zalmi
Zalmi chose to field.

Current RR: 9.07

• Last 5 ov (RR): 42/2 (8.40)


Live Forecast: .............................LQ .. 181
 
Lahore Qalandars Flag

Lahore Qalandars
(20 overs).................199/4


Peshawar Zalmi Flag

Peshawar Zalmi
...........

Current RR: 9.95
• Last 5 overs (RR): 63/2 (12.60)

Win Probability:
LQ 81.30%
PZ 18.70%
 

IU vs MS: Rumman Raees didn't celebrate Shadab Khan's wicket in respect​


By Faizan Lakhani
February 02, 2022



Multan Sultand pacer Rumman Raees. Screengrab



Multan Sultand pacer Rumman Raees. Screengrab


KARACHI: Islamabad United skipper Shadab Khan played a captain’s knock and almost took his team to the victory when he got out after scoring 91 runs at a crucial point of the match but the bowler, Rumman Raees, didn’t celebrate the wicket of his former captain.

The Multan Sultans pacer set a new example of respect and sportsmanship when he refrained from celebrating the wicket.

Rumman remained with Islamabad United for six seasons after being picked as an emerging player in the inaugural edition of the tournament. He was named vice-captain of the franchise in 2017. The fast bowler also led the side in two matches in 2018.
But this time Rumman isn't in red. Instead, he’s donning Multan Sultan’s jersey in PSL 7, but his love and respect for the former team is unaffected and he showed that respect by not celebrating the traditional way after taking the crucial wicket of Shadab Khan at an important stage of the match.

Rumman confirmed to Geo News that he had decided before the match that in respect of his previous team, he will not celebrate the wicket.

“Today, I was against a team which kept me for six years. I started as [an] emerging player, got appointed vice-captain, also led the side and then when I was injured and wasn't playing, they stood by me and kept me as a bowling consultant and allowed me to continue rehab,” Rumman recalled.

“I had decided that whatever wicket I take, I won’t celebrate in respect. So, after taking’s Shadab’s wicket, I just rose my hands and refrained from the traditional celebration,” he said.

The fast bowler added that he remained professionally committed to Multan Sultans throughout the match and his emotional attachment with Islamabad was something different to that.
 
Lahore Qalandars Flag

Lahore Qalandars
199/4


Peshawar Zalmi Flag

Peshawar Zalmi
(20 overs, target 200)...............170/9


Qalandars won by 29 runs
 
Three-tier security plan chalked out for PSL final

Recorder Report
03 Feb, 2022


LAHORE: A three-tier security plan has been chalked out for the final of Pakistan Super League (PSL) T-20 cricket series to be held in the provincial capital from February 10 to February 27, says Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Fayyaz Ahmad.

“We are all set to provide complete protection to the visiting national and international players as well as spectators of the seventh edition of the world class PSL T-20 cricket series with more elaborate and improved security plan than the previous ones,” says Fayyaz in a statement issued on Wednesday.

He said that Lahore police has always played a pivotal role in promoting international sports and cultural activities in the country by providing foolproof security to these events. According to the security plan, he added, senior police officers of different units of Lahore police, including SSPs, SDPOs, SHOs, Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit (PRU) and Elite Force would perform security, patrolling and traffic management related duties during the playoffs to ensure foolproof security of the event along with smooth flow of traffic.

The CCPO said that according to a decision of the Punjab government, all the PSL players have been given the status of state guests and the district administration and police will jointly hold a full rehearsal on February 4 and 6 in this regard.

“CCTV cameras around Gaddafi Stadium and parking areas would be made fully operational during the PSL playoffs and the security plan would be enforced in Lahore from February 7”, he added.

According to Fayyaz, the law enforcement agencies would strive to least disturb the routine activities of the citizens during the matches as zero route would be provided to the teams to ensure their security by restricting traffic only during the movements of teams from their residential places to the stadium and vice versa.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
 

Full Highlights​

Lahore Qalandars vs Peshawar Zalmi​


 
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