Table toppers Karachi Kings take on strugglers Lahore Qalandars in the eighth match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018 on Monday (February 26) at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The Kings are heading into the tie on the back of a five-wicket win against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday (February 25). Imad Wasim's men are the only unbeaten team (two wins in as many matches) in the ongoing season.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was the star of the evening as he shone against his former club Zalmi. While Mohammad Amir ran through Zalmi's top-order, the all-rounder chipped in with two crucial wickets.
Despite not being able to post big scores, the Kings have managed to outclass the Gladiators and the Zalmi with their top-quality bowling attack. While Amir will be a threat up front, the likes of Afridi and Wasim are known for strangulating the opposition batsmen with their accuracy.
Afridi's stunning catch against the Gladiators!
Shahid Afridi is truly an ageless cricketer. 21 years after his debut he is still finding ways to entertain the crowd. The catch by him today, without exaggeration, is the greatest effort by a Pakistani fielder on the boundary. He’s the real Karachi King! pic.twitter.com/JRBHPIZvMA
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) February 23, 2018
Skipper Wasim though would want a better show from their batsmen, especially from local stars Babar Azam and Khurram Manzoor.
The Kings will head into the match as favorites as they have beaten their Monday's opponents thrice in their last four meetings.
Can Brendon McCullum help the Qalandars end its losing streak?
On the other hand, the Qalandars need to get back to the winning ways if they are to stay in contention for their first-ever playoff berth. They are still searching for their first win after two back-to-back defeats in the ongoing season.
Brendon McCullum's are one of the star-studded sides in the ongoing edition but they have struggled to perform as a unit. The morale in the Qalandars' dressing room will be low, especially after their crushing nine-wicket loss to the Gladiators on Saturday.
The team will be looking up to the senior members to step up and deliver and a win against the high-flying Kings can help swing fortunes in their favor.
All eyes will thus be on the likes of skipper McCullum, Umar Akmal and foreign imports Sunil Narine and Mustafizur Rahman, who are capable of single-handedly winning matches.
When does the match start and how to watch it live
The eighth match of Pakistan Super League 2018 will start 4 pm GMT, 8 pm Dubai time, 9:30 pm IST.
Live streaming and TV coverage
- Worldwide live stream: cricketgateway.com
- India: TV: DSport; Live stream: DSport on Jio TV, Airtel TV; cricketgateway.com
- Pakistan: PTV Sports
- UK: Sky Sports Channel 792 (Prime TV)
- US: Willow TV
Squads
Karachi Kings: Imad Wasim (c), Shahid Afridi, Babar Azam, Joe Denly, Colin Ingram, Khurram Manzoor, Lendl Simmons, Saifullah Bangash, Eoin Morgan, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammed Taha, Tabish Khan, Ravi Bopara, Hasan Mohsin, David Wiese, Usama Mir, Tymal Mills, Mohammad Amir, Usman Khan.
Lahore Qalandars: Brendon McCullum (c), Fakhar Zaman, Umar Akmal, Denesh Ramdin, Anton Devcich, Bilal Asif, Cameron Delport, Bilawal Bhatti, Aamer Yamin, Ghulam Mudassar, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mustafizur Rahman, Sunil Narine, Raza Hasan, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah.
