Keeping things exciting in a 5-team single group format is a tricky task. Had the organisers gone with top two qualifying for the final, we might have lost interest mid-way through the league games, especially if the top two threatened to run away from the rest. A semifinal format would’ve virtually rendered the pool games more or less irrelevant since after playing 8 games each, only one of the five would’ve been knocked out, with the remaining four on equal standing – one step away from the final.
PSL’s format allows three ‘qualifying finals’. After each team plays the other twice. The top two shall contest the first qualifying final, with the winner going directly to the final. Teams placed 3rd and 4th will play the second qualifying final, with the winner of this match taking on the loser of the first qualifying final in a third game to decide the second finalist.
Ahmed Shehzad
What this format means is that virtually every game matters and no team can rest on their laurels. While every team would want to avoid the dreaded fifth spot, which would knock them out of the tournament, every team would be eying a top 2 slot, to get a shot at the first qualifying final – where the winner plays the final, and the loser has another shot at making the final.
At the time of writing (Tuesday) the first Dubai leg of the league matches is over. Quetta top the table with 6 points from 4 games. Peshawar are second with 4 points from 3 games. While the rest are all on 2 points after 3 games.
While the table rightfully shows the Gladiators and Zalmi as the top two teams from the initial round of matches, what it also shows is that everyone has won and lost matches – that there is no one running away towards the top two just finish yet.
Ahmed Shehzad applauds Umar Akmal's innings
Monday’s match between Qalandars and Gladiators epitomised how close the fight for PSL is going to be. Going into the game, Gladiators had a 100% record, while the Qalandars were yet to register a win. A masterful batting display by Cameron Delport and Umar Akmal – who played the standout innings of the tournament so far – handed Quetta their first defeat of the tournament.
Quetta vs Lahore was also the first game in which a team batting first managed to score in excess of 150, with Qalandars hammering 194. This was despite their star player Chris Gayle’s absence, who has contributed more to the smashing opening ceremony than to on-field proceedings.
By the time you read this United would’ve played twice, while the other four teams once each as well. And so, the table might look completely different. But as things stand Gladiators and Zalmi do look the teams to beat, and through contrasting approaches to the league.
Quetta Gladiators
While Sarfraz Ahmed’s Gladiators set the trend for spin domination in the first round of matches, by choking United into submission in the PSL opener, Shahid Afridi’s Zalmi have relied on their formidable pace attack which features Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz and Shaun Tait. Gladiators spin trio of Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad Nabi and Mohammad Nawaz – the find of the tournament so far – has set the foundation for their early lead.
In addition to an impressive spinning repertoire, Gladiators’ top order has fired as well, with Luke Wright, Ahmed Shehzad, Kevin Pietersen and Nawaz all among the runs. Zalmi’s batting is spearheaded by Tamim Iqbal and Mohammed Hafeez up top, with Darren Sammy coming in lower down the order for late acceleration.
Gladiators and Zalmi are the teams to beat so far
Karachi Kings that kicked off their campaign with an impressive win over Lahore, courtesy Muhammad Amir’s hat-trick, have nosedived since then. On paper Kings still have the best squad for the given conditions, with the likes of Shoaib Malik, Shakib Al Hasan, Lendl Simmons, James Vince, Ravi Bopara, Imad Wasim, Sohail Tanvir and Amir. If they manage to gel well, and get a few right results, they could definitely cement a top two slot.
Islamabad United might have got their first win on Sunday but there still are too many underperforming stars in their squad. Shane Watson is yet to live up to his billing. Andre Russel, while having showcased how devastating he can be, hasn’t quite become the go-to player for United lower down the order just yet. However, the biggest plus for United has been Saeed Ajmal’s return to form, which boosts his chances for a Pakistan recall as well. Even so, Misbah-ul-Haq’s United still have the most to do to in the league, sitting bottom as of Tuesday on net run rate.
Qalandars showed on Monday how devastating their batting can be. They’ve put all their eggs in that basket and need their batsmen to fire regularly, for them to have any chance of making the final. Chris Gayle would have to turn up for Lahore, along with Dwayne Bravo.
While Gladiators and Zalmi have blazed the trail in the early exchanges, it’s evident that any team can beat the other on any given day. If any of the five teams can put a run together, they could become the team to beat. As things stand, Kings, United and Qalandars have catching up to do. n
