Pakistan Super League (PSL) News & Discussions

[The Eagle]

Zarori tha.

Apa had ho gai... Esa to Sheikh Rasheed ne b nahi kia thaa... lolz

 

[ghazi52]

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Unique entertainment of a ‘run down’ PSL
By Taha Anis

Both Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches on Sunday hung in the balance literally till the very last over, and the two cliff-hangers provided perfect demonstrations of the merits of low-scoring ties.

Long gone is the delicate balance between bat and ball that once made cricket, cricket. Now the batsmen reign supreme and the 20-over game has been one of the biggest perpetrators of this shift in power.

But the PSL has brought about a welcome change and, at the risk of speaking too soon, bowlers once again seem to have found some semblance of help from the conditions.
In the first match on Sunday, Islamabad United managed to defend 132 against Karachi Kings. With four needed off the last ball, Shane Watson’s perfect yorker to win the game was right up there with any last-ball match-winning boundary.

Peshawar Zalmi were not that lucky in the second match, as table-topping Quetta Gladiators managed to chase down their 136-run target. But not before the teams played out yet another nail-biter and it required some hefty hitting from Anwar Ali and Elton Chigumbura to take Quetta over the line.

The matches kept all those watching at the edge of their seats for the entirety of the contests and, barring the most die-hard of Karachi and Peshawar fans, was money and time well spent.

It is still early days for PSL, but Lahore’s Umar Akmal-inspired 193 on Monday was the only time that a team ran away with the game in the first innings. The Lahore-Quetta match was the first time in eight matches that the aggregate score crossed 300.

For comparison, the 2015 Indian Premier League — the definitive yardstick against which all T20 leagues are measured — had 35 matches out of a total of 60 in which more than 300 runs were scored by both teams combined.

What this means is that the PSL is decidedly lacking in the kind of run-frenzies that tend to excite many casual fans. No lusty blow after lusty blow, no batsman dominating the bowling, no scores of 200, and none of the glamour and glitz that comes with all of that.

But the PSL is no IPL — its creators have gone out of the way to stress upon that fact from day one. Low-scoring matches aren’t hindering the league as some may imagine. In fact, quite the contrary.

Nail-biters like the one served up on Sunday are ample proof that entertainment in cricket does not exclusively lie in sixes and fours. The PSL can be for the legions who do not lust for runs alone, for those who still heave nostalgic sighs when the names of men such as Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis are uttered in hushed whispers.

Quetta’s meek surrendering of the match against Lahore made for poor viewing — one-sided matches are often a hazard for games in which the side batting first scores big.

In cricketing terms, opting for pitches that help the bowlers may also prove to be a successful strategy. Pakistan’s batting has always been their weakness, and by raising the next generation on bowling-friendly pitches, the country may well produce batsmen that know how to negotiate the moving ball; whether it be seam, swing or turn.

But it is not without its pitfalls either. Young bowlers such as Usama Mir, Ziaul Haq and Mohammad Nawaz — all of whom have impressed so far in the PSL and are being touted as potential mainstays in Pakistan’s bowling attack of the future — have little experience dealing with batsmen wreaking havoc.

They don’t know what it’s like to bowl to the best in the world on flat pitches and small grounds. They don’t know what it’s like to be at the wrong end of a Chris Gayle or Shahid Afridi demolition. They don’t know what it’s like to see your bowling figures get destroyed in the blink of an eye.

To cope with all that, they need nerves of steel, hearts as big as bats these days and the best of all teachers — experience. But they are getting precious little of that last one here, where swing, bounce and turn are available for all who know how to seek them.

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[Kambojaric]

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But the PSL is no IPL — its creators have gone out of the way to stress upon that fact from day one. Low-scoring matches aren’t hindering the league as some may imagine. In fact, quite the contrary.

I dont get why so many people are comparing the PSL to the IPL. They two are following different models and are in totally different positions financially speaking. The PSL does not need to copy the IPL to be a success. It should find its own niche and focus on that.

 

[ghazi52]

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Badree confident of Islamabad comeback

PHOTO: AFP

West Indian leg-spinner Samuel Badree said that Islamabad United’s first victory will give them momentum after they lost their first two matches comprehensively.

“Obviously, it’s a bit of a relief,” said Badree, while talking to The Express Tribune. “The first win gives us momentum, going into the competition.”

The Islamabad spinner hopes his side can kick on from here. “It’s tough coming together at such a short notice,” he said. “As the competition goes on, you gel together and you got to know what each player is capable off. We are a bit slow off the mark, but I think this win will help the team.”

The 34-year-old also said that as he is disappointed that he had to sit on the bench for the last two games, but will try to help the team whenever he can.

“Obviously, it’s a bit unfortunate I didn’t start well and I am sitting on the bench,” said Badree. “With the format of the tournament, only four foreigner players can play, so we are still sorting our combination. We have some games in Sharjah where the pitch is slower, whatever the team requires I am here to help.”

The leg-spinner also revealed that Pakistan veteran off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is the funniest individual in the squad. “In every team there is one guy who keep the fun going and in this team, it’s Saeed Ajmal.”

Talking about the chances of his national team in the upcoming World T20, the Trinidad and Tobago leg-spinner revealed optimism that West Indies will have as much of a chance of winning as anyone else, given that the players stay fit.

...

 

[Adecypher]

Today while reading the arctile: PSL: The unique charm of the Quetta Gladiators
published in Dawn Newspaper I came across the following comments and I agree with the poster even though I am supporting Peshawar Zalmi specially the last bullet point:

I support Quetta for the following reasons:

• Quetta needs to get its due share in sports from Pakistani audience
• The Quetta Gladiators is a team of cricket players, not just stars playing their own game
• I am big fan of Sarfaraz Ahmed as he is an example of struggle of a middle class person, as how he has been neglected in the past and he came back strong on the basis of his performance.
• I like supporting the underdogs

If they continue to play like this then, I see them in Finals with Peshawar Zalmi.

 

[Al-zakir]

My favorite player is Afridi so I'm going with Zalmi. Inshallah, they will be victorious.

 

[Shoaib Rathore]

Pakistan Super League, 9th Match: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars at Sharjah, Feb 10, 2016
7:30pm: Watson leads Islamabad in the absence of the injured Misbah. Gayle, meanwhile, is down with flu

Islamabad stand-in captain Watson wins the toss and elects to field

Watson: It has a nice sheen on it. It looks a good wicket. Misbah had hurt his calf in the last match. Haddin comes for Zaidi.

Azhar: We will try to start well and put up runs on the board. Gayle has recovered from his back injury. But he has a bad flu. Ehsan Adil plays today.

Muhammad Saboor: "Azhar Ali has lost 4 consecutive tosses in PSL.

 

[ghazi52]

Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United

PHOTO: FACEBOOK/ PSL

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has moved to Sharjah and the teams are expected to set heavier targets in contrast to Dubai.

Islamabad United take on the Lahore Qalandars in the ninth match of the tournament.

Islamabad beat Karachi Kings by two runs last Sunday while Lahore opened their victory account on a positive note after beating the strongest team, Quetta Gladiators, in their last encounter.

Both teams enter the match with a win and two losses in their bags. It will be interesting to see who walks away with the second victory.

Welcome to the live updates of Islamabad vs Lahore match.

Pitch report

Batsmen’s heaven and bowler’s hell; the most precise description of the Sharjah pitch.

Misbahul Haq has been left out as Brad Haddin comes into the squad for Islamabad.

Lahore have rested Chris Gayle again as he had a bad flu. Meanwhile, right-arm bowler Ehsan Adil replaces all-rounder Hammad Azam.

Islamabad have won the toss and opted to bowl first. Watson says the dew is already setting in and it will be difficult to bowl in the second innings.

Meanwhile, Azhar thinks his Qalandars will go into the match with a confidence boost after beating Quetta by 63 runs.

 

[Kambojaric]

Lets see if Qalandars can recreate last times batting performance. Delport already out

 

[ghazi52]

Lahore Qalandars 40/1 (5.3/20 ov)
Islamabad United

Islamabad United won the toss and elected to field

Lahore Qalandars RR 7.58
Last 5 ovs 41/1 RR 8.20

Naved Yasin (lhb) ...13 14 1 1 92.85 4 (5b)
Azhar Ali (rhb)....... 24 16 4 0 150.00 7 (4b)

Bowlers O M R W Econ
Mohammad Sami (rf)... 1.4 0 11 1
Andre Russell (rf) .........2.0 0 13 0

 

[S.U.R.B.]

No Misbah again .And a bad decision by the umpire.
Akmal was plumb LBW. Straightforward!
What The Orange , man!

 

[Kambojaric]

Lahore 73/2 after 10 overs.

 

[ghazi52]

Lahore Qalandars ................ 90/4 (12.5/20 overs)
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Islamabad United won the toss and elected to field

Lahore Qalandars RR 7.01
Last 5 ovs 31/2 RR 6.20

 

[Al-zakir]

Why this taking place in UAE....

 

[ghazi52]

..
..
Lahore Qalandars innings

Azhar Ali* lbw b Mohammad Sami............ 27... 18 5 0 150.00

CS Delport b Mohammad Sami ...............3... 4 0 0 75.00

Naved Yasin c †Haddin b Saeed Ajmal............... 25... 28 2 1 89.28

Umar Akmal lbw b Imran Khalid ..........23.... 23 0 2 100.00

DJ Bravo not out......... 6 3 1 0 200.00
Mohammad Rizwan†........... not out 1