PSL 2018, Qualifier: Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings – Match Predictions

Islamabad United and Karachi Kings, the top two teams at the Round Robin Stage in PSL 3, will come across each other in the first game of the playoffs tomorrow which is the qualifier. While the winner of this game will get a direct entry to the grand finale, the loser will not be eliminated and will have one more opportunity in the second eliminator where they will face the winner of the first eliminator.

Islamabad was 3 points clear at the top of the table when the Round Robin stage finished which was a testimonial of how much they dominated the league. They are clearly starting this game as the favourites, but then having the favourites tag in a big knockout game doesn’t quite help as it brings undue pressure to it.

The Karachi Kings have misfired the whole tournament. They have been breathtakingly good in patches and then been really poor in some other moments. However, they will want to get their acts together as the tournament has got to its climax and will want to put on their A show.

Probable nature of the pitch

Dubai in the second half of the Round Robin stage produced some really good batting surfaces and the players, as well as the fans, will be hopeful that the pitch is again hard and flat and ideal for stroke-play. The sluggish surfaces that Dubai generally has the tendency to dish out don’t make for good viewing in the shortest format of the game.

If the wicket is shiny with no signs of abrasiveness, the correct way to go is to bowl first after winning the toss. Firstly because chasing on flat surfaces is a better proposition in comparison to setting a target if the conditions are batting friendly and secondly because the dew factor will come into play as well late in the evening which will make life hell for the bowlers.

Playing Combination

Islamabad United

Islamabad had rested two of their key players Luke Ronchi and Mohammad Sami in their last game and they both will return for this encounter. Their replacements Chadwick Walton and Zafar Gohar will have to make way. Ronchi will resume his duties as an opener, while Alex Hales who opened the innings in his absence will be pushed down to no. 3 which has been the usual top order for Islamabad of late.

The skipper Misbah-ul-Haq batted 4 the other evening against Karachi and that’s where he will like to bat again as it’s a perfect batting slot for him, however, it depends on how many overs are left in the innings when the second wicket falls. If it falls around the 12th or the 13th over mark, probably a more aggressive and a flamboyant stroke player like a Hussain Talat or an Asif Ali will walk out at 4.

Islamabad’s bowling revolves around Mohammad Sami and Steven Finn, the two bowlers who have got quite a lot of pace. If they get it right up-front, the can shake the opposition with the new ball. Shadab Khan and Samit Patel are not a bad spin duo to have in the middle phase, while Faheem Ashraf is far, far better than a part-timer. This attack seems to have all bases covered.

Predicted XI: Mohammad Sami, Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Luke Ronchi, JP Duminy, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Amad Butt, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf

Karachi Kings

Karachi dropped Ravi Bopara the previous game and played Tymal Mills who came up with good return with the ball as he went for less than 7 runs per over in his quota of 4. They, in all likelihood, will go with the left-arm again which means Bopara will have to watch the action from the sidelines.

The good thing for Karachi is that Babar Azam is back in form and is stroking the ball ever so sweetly. Batting at 3 will have the responsibility of batting normally and controlling the innings right through, while the other batsmen will take it upon themselves to increase the scoring rate.

Karachi’s bowling looks very, very strong. Mohammad Amir and Usman Khan with some wing and pace early on followed by some hit-the-deck stuff of Mohammad Irfan Jnr to go with the variations of Tymal Mills and the wily leg spin of Shahid Afridi, this, like Karachi, is again a terrified-balanced balanced attack.

Predicted XI: Tymal Mills, Eoin Morgan (C), Usman Khan, Shahid Afridi, Colin Ingram, Joe Denly, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Irfan Jnr, Mohammad Amir

Probable Top Performers

Shadab Khan (Islamabad United), Colin Ingram (Karachi Kings) |

Head to Head

Matches – 8, Islamabad United– 4, Karachi Kings – 4, N/R – 0

The timing of the match: 09:30 pm IST

Broadcast Details

TV – D Sport

The prediction is for the Islamabad United to beat the Karachi Kings and qualify for the final.