PSL focus shifts to Sharjah
sharjah — With the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore hanging in the balance after a bomb attack killed 13 people and injured 70 on Monday, the organisers continue to remain adamant of staging the March 5 showpiece in Pakistan even if it is at the cost of foreign players dropping out.
PSL chairman Najam Sethi said he still wanted Lahore to host the final, with or without foreign players. The former PCB chairman said he now wants to poll the Pakistan public, and let them decide whether they want to see the final in Lahore — most likely without foreign players — or Dubai again probably with overseas players.
“I want cricket lovers to tell me ... what do they want? Whatever they want, we will do,” Sethi was quoted as telling AP.
“I wanted the whole PSL in Pakistan, not only just the final,” cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan said in Lahore on Tuesday.
“But the problem is that when terrorism happens, it gets highlighted more, and foreigners get scared.”
Meanwhile, after five days of action at the Dubai Sports Stadium which produced 1,622 runs and 80 wickets from six matches, the focus of the PSL now shifts to Sharjah.
Barring the first match between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi, the tournament, so far, has failed to produce any edge of the
I want cricket lovers to tell me ... what do they want? Whatever they want, we will do Najam Sethi
seat, last-ball thrillers. But the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is known for many such heart-stoppers. The iconic venue, which has hosted the maximum number of ODIs, will open its doors to Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators on Wednesday with the match starting at 8pm.
The defending champions got their campaign off to a winning start against Peshawar but were found wanting against Lahore Qalandars. With an ageing squad — most players are above 30 — which includes captain Misbah-ul-Haq (42), Brad Haddin (39), Shane Watson (35), Saeed Ajmal (39), Mohammad Sami (35), Samuel Badree (35) and Dwayne Smith (33) one could easily write them off. But, as they say, do it at your own peril.
Misbah produced a whirlwind 36-ball 61 and Smith and Haddin are capable of taking the rival bowlers to the cleaners. But the loss of hard-hitting left-handed opener Sharjeel Khan, who has been suspended for alleged spot-fixing, and a weak bowling department has left Misbah with very few options.
Mohammad Irfan who is also under investigation in the corruption scandal that hit the PSL has only compounded his woes.
On the other hand his counterpart Sarfraz Ahmed has no such headache. His bowlers performed exceedingly well in stopping Lahore Qalandars from overhauling their total of 136. In the next match Rilee Rossouw and Sarfraz pulled their team out off a hole at 30 for 3 against Karachi Kings to surpass their total of 159 with five balls to spare.
It shows that the team is well balanced and would like lay their hands on the trophy which they had come so close to doing so last year.
Like Quetta, Peshawar Zalmi have also hit good form after their defeat to Islamabad. Victories over Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars have propelled them to the top of the PSL standings.
Early days though, but with a lively Darren Sammy, who took a splendid catch in the slip cordon, leading and with the return of Mohammad Hafeez as a bowler and Eoin Morgan hitting top form with the bat, Peshawar look the side to beat.
Qalandars have a deadly opening pair in Jason Roy and Brendon McCullum but as a team are yet to blossom while bottom placed Karachi Kings with the likes of Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara, Shoaib Malik and Ravi Bopara have struggled to find that winning combination.