PES vs KAR Prediction: Who will win today's PSL 2021 match?

In Match 24 of the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL), the Peshawar Zalmi face off against the out-of-form Karachi Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on a double-header Tuesday.

The Peshawar Zalmi are placed third in the PSL 2021 standings, with four wins from eight games and a net run rate of +0.296. They've had a mixed start to life in Abu Dhabi, with losses to the Lahore Qalandars and the Multan Sultans punctuated by a whopping 61-run win against bottom feeders Quetta Gladiators.

The Karachi Kings have fared worse in the Abu Dhabi leg of PSL 2021. With a 12-run loss to the Multan Sultans followed by an eight-wicket thrashing at the hands of Islamabad United, the Kings are desperately clinging onto the final playoff spot and need a win to turn their campaign around.

A win for the Kings would displace Zalmi from third position, since Imad Wasim's side have a game in hand and a better net run rate. With the Sultans hot on the heels of the top four, both teams need a win in Match 24 at any cost.

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PSL 2021: PES vs KAR Match Prediction

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The Karachi Kings' biggest problem in PSL 2021 has been their bowling. The leader of the bowling attack, Mohammad Amir, has not taken a wicket so far and has leaked runs at an alarming rate, setting the tone for the rest of the bowlers to fall into a pit of inconsistency and improper execution.

Arshad Iqbal and Abbas Afridi have been expensive, while Waqas Maqsood and at times Wasim have been the only positives in the bowling department. Thisara Perera bowled well and scalped two wickets in the first game, but he conceded 34 runs in only two overs against Islamabad. Post the loss, Wasim lamented the lack of bowling options, and there doesn't appear to be a quick fix that could turn the Kings' tournament around.

As expected, the batting lineup has been led by Babar Azam, who has scored 80s in each of the two games and is now the leading run-scorer in PSL 2021. Martin Guptill, batting at No. 3, has been an abysmal failure, while opener Sharjeel Khan hasn't converted his starts into big scores. Najibullah Zadran was a bright spark against Islamabad, and the rest of the batsmen need to come to the party immediately.

Barring their comprehensive win over the struggling Gladiators, the Zalmi have flattered to deceive in PSL 2021. Both of their losses saw them put up sub-par totals, with the batting lineup failing to click all at once.

Young gun Haider Ali has had a torrid time in the Abu Dhabi leg of PSL 2021. The other batsmen in the lineup - Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, David Miller, Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford - all have at least one sizeable knock in this tournament, but consistency has been a major issue. The Zalmi bowling attack, led by captain Wahab Riaz, has done reasonably well.

The outcome of this game is a tough one to call, since both teams are fairly evenly matched on paper and come into this game on the back of similar results. If you had to pick a winner, you'd lean towards the Peshawar Zalmi. Most of their players have tasted success at some point in PSL 2021, which isn't something you can say about the Karachi Kings. The Zalmi will also be well-rested, while the Kings were in action only yesterday.

Prediction: Peshawar Zalmi to win