PSL 2021 Eliminator 1: Defending champions Karachi Kings take on Peshawar Zalmi today
June 21, 2021
ABU DHABI: Peshawar Zalmi will take on defending champions Karachi Kings in the first Eliminator of the Pakistan Super League’s sixth edition today at UAE’s Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
The match starts at 11pm.
The winner of this match will play the loser of the Qualfier which will be played between Islamabad United and Multan Sultans on June 22.
The Wahab Riaz-led Peshawar Zalmi have produced some thrilling cricket to ensure a play-off berth, despite some hiccups on the way.
Seasoned campaigner Shoaib Malik has been their top scorer to date with 244 runs in 10 games at an average of 30.50 and a strike rate of 140.22. Malik made two fighting half-centuries in the Abu Dhabi-leg against Qalandars and United to ensure his team fought all the way, in pursuit of steep targets while minimising the damage to their net run-rate.
Wahab has led the bowling charts for Zalmi with his spirited efforts with the new and the old ball, so far taking 14 wickets from nine league matches at an average of 21.85.
Defending champions Kings had to fight hard to resurrect their campaign after losing the first three matches of the Abu Dhabi leg, which left them on the verge of elimination.
The Imad Wasim-led side won a last-over thriller against the Qalandars – their ninth match, before defeating Gladiators on Saturday evening to clinch the fourth spot in the playoffs, ahead of their arch-rivals Qalandars.
Batting mainstay Babar Azam leads the PSL 6 batting charts with 501 runs in 10 matches at an average of 71.57, Babar has scored six half-centuries in the tournament so far.
His opening partner, Sharjeel Khan, contributed 312 runs in the 10-league stage matches at an average of 31.
Emerging category pacer Arshad Iqbal is the leading wicket-taker for the Kings, so far taking eight scalps in as many matches at 29.
Head-to-head, the Peshawar Zalmi has won nine matches while Karachi Kings emerged victories five times.
