Pakistan Super League 2020, Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators | Preview, predicted XIs, where and when to watch and live stream details

The 30th and final match of this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) league stage will see the home team Karachi Kings take on the Quetta Gladiators. While Karachi Kings has been having a good tournament so far, Quetta has been extremely unlucky.

The Gladiators’ owner has expressed his anger at the team’s travel schedule that has potentially ruined the entire tournament for them. As Quetta doesn’t have the luxury of hosting teams at their home ground, they’ve had to hop across cities for matches and get little to no time to practice.

The Kings will be missing Alex Hales in this match while Quetta will be without their opener Jason Roy and pacer Tymal Mills. With the qualifiers and playoffs being changed to semi-finals, Quetta is out of the tournament.

Karachi, on the other hand, has been having a good tournament as most of their batsmen have delivered at the right time. Therefore, they will be more comfortable and confident heading into this clash, hoping that they will qualify for the semi-finals directly.

Sharjeel and Babar could lead the team all the way to the finals

Karachi Kings’ has a solid lineup that is led by Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam up to. The two men singlehandedly led the Kings to victory against the Lahore Qalandars a few nights ago. Alex Hales and Cameron Delport have been the two other constants who have helped their side pick up some wins, while Iftikhar Ahmed and Imad Wasim are the late order pinch hitters who have kept the side afloat. Kings will surely miss Hales in these final crucial matches of the tournament.

Karachi’s bowling can do wonders against Quetta’s bowling simply because of their consistency and new spin options. Umer Khan and Arshad Iqbal are the hidden weapons who can spin the opponents around, while Muhammad Amir has been the backbone of the lineup.

Quetta has found themselves at the bottom of the table for the first time in the history of the PSL for a very good reason. They have forced themselves to pick local stars such as Ahmed Shehzad, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Sohail Khan who have disappointed their side time and time again. Even Azam Khan has lost the form he showed early in the tournament and showed signs of becoming a future star.

Their previous match saw Azam Khan show moments of brilliance

Overall, only their foreign players Jason Roy, Shane Watson, Ben Cutting, and Fawad Ahmed have been consistent and dependable in the tournament. With Roy deciding to leave the tournament, it will be interesting to see how the Gladiators fill the void he leaves behind. While the owner has pointed fingers at the schedule they’ve been handed, he should also turn to his players and give them a final warning as their dismal performances are the reason why their NRR is so low that chances of qualifying are almost nil.

Muhammad Hasnain has been the team’s star bowler, and one of the best of the entire tournament, but his economy rate shows that he hasn’t been all too successful in the tournament.

Karachi Kings are the clear favorites in this game as Quetta is tired and heartbroken. Expect the Kings to completely knock out the defending Champions from the PSL, opening the doors to a new team to win the tournament for the first time.

Match details

Tournament: Pakistan Super League Season 5, 2020

Venue: National Stadium, Karachi

Date: 15th March 2020

Time: 7:00 PM PST onwards

Pitch report

Things have been extremely silent in the largest stadium of the country since the Sindh government has shut the doors of the stadium. However, the measures have been taken in the interest of the people and the fans, and there is no reason to complain as long as the action goes on smoothly.

Karachi’s breeze has picked up over the past few days and it has gotten a lot chillier. In fact, we don’t remember a time when it was this ‘cold’ in Karachi during March. The dryness and created cracks in this bald pitch and slowed down the pace a bit, causing the runs to dry up significantly.

However, the batsmen will still enjoy the pitch much more than the bowlers as the even pace and bounce will allow them to play their shots freely. This match has a lot at stake for both the teams!

Predicted XIs

Karachi Kings: Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Alex Hales, Cameron Delport, Chadwick Walton (Wicket-keeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim (Captain), Umaid Asif, Mohammad Amir, Chris Jordan, and Arshad Iqbal.

Quetta Gladiators: Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor/Ahsan Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed (Captain & Wicket-keeper), Ben Cutting, Azam Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Abdul Nasir, and Fawad Ahmed.