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There were sparks all around the Rawalpindi Stadium the last time these two teams went head-to-head during this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL). Islamabad United played hosts during that match, but this time the hosts will be their opponents, Karachi Kings.
Islamabad scored 183 for 3 riding on the back of Luke Ronchi’s brilliance early on followed by a masterclass from Shadab Khan later in the innings. However, their work was undone by Alex Hales and his team as the target was chased by the Kings in the 19th over, breaking the hearts of the home crowd.
A lot has happened since that clash and both teams are still fighting to make their way into the top four of the tables as the league matches are coming to a close soon. With the playoffs in sight, both teams will want to win by a big margin in order to improve their standings on the points table.
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One thing to note is that this match will be played behind closed doors which will cause a lot of disappointment for the fans and the home team wanting people to turn out in numbers to support them.
Islamabad’s team is top-heavy with some of the finest batsmen in the world of T20, with Luke Ronchi, Colin Munro, and Colin Ingram taking the top three spots on the line-up. Their captain, Shadab Khan, has proven to be another animal with the bat this season as he has been a star performer thus far. Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf’s late hitting has allowed the team to always end their inning on a high and give the other team a tough total to chase or defend.
Dale Steyn has bolstered the United’s bowling, but he wasn’t too successful in the first clash between these two teams. However, he is a world-class performer who can dismantle any batting order, and therefore this can be a crucial match for the pacer. Ammad Butt and Muhammad Musa will be the two youngsters everyone will be looking at during the match.
The Kings too have an equally good top-order consisting of Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Alex Hales, and Chadwick Walton. All four men have given some good performances in this year’s PSL, and even one could lead their side to victory on their day.
Just like Shadab, Kings’ captain Imad Wasim is as good with the bat as he is with the ball and will look to provide the late surge with Iftikhar Ahmed and Chris Jordan.
Muhammad Amir is still leading the Men in Blue’s bowling attack, and no one can doubt his abilities when it comes to swinging the ball in Karachi’s conditions. Aamer Yameen and Jordan will look to provide him with a lot of support, and Wasim’s spin could help slow down the run rate on this massive ground.
Both teams will be looking to stay alive in this match and the team who bats first could have the advantage as a pressure game like this requires a big total up on the board early on.
Match details
Tournament: Pakistan Super League Season 5, 2020
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
Date: 14th March 2020
Time: 7.00 PM PST onwards
Pitch report
With a breeze blowing in Karachi over the past few days, the ball has been doing much more than it was earlier during the PSL. This will allow bowlers like Muhammad Amir, Dale Steyn, and Faheem Ashraf something to work with, taking the focus off the spinners for once.
Karachi’s hard and fast track will allow the batsman to play with some consistency, and whichever team bats first will need to score a big total as chasing hasn’t been too difficult in this season. The home crowd advantage could tilt things towards the Kings.
Predicted XIs
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi (Wicketkeeper), Colin Ingram, Shadab Khan (Captain), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Rizwan Hussain, Ammad Butt, Akif Javed, Muhammad Musa, and Dale Steyn.
Karachi Kings: Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Alex Hales, Cameron Delport, Chadwick Walton (Wicketkeeper), Imad Wasim (Captain), Iftikhar Ahmed, Chris Jordan, Aamer Yameen, Umer Khan, and Mohammad Amir.
Where to watch the matches in Pakistan?
Islamabad United v Karachi Kings will be telecast LIVE on PTV Sports.
Live stream details
The live stream for Islamabad United v Karachi Kings will be available on Cricingiff and Cricketgateway.
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