The second phase of Pakistan Super League (PSL) eight edition is starting from 15th. Four teams - Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United, Multan Sultan and Peshawar Zalmi - qualified for the playoff round.

Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings exited after pathetic performances in the first round. The Kings won only against Multan Sultan and Lahore Qalandars. They lost both matches against Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi.

Karachi Kings won the PSL fifth edition in 2020. Kings finished fourth in the first PSL edition, third in 2017 and 2018, and fourth in 2019 and 2021.

Things have not gone according to the plan for Karachi and Quetta as they sit at the second last and last spots in the PSL points table.

Karachi Kings are passing through their worst time in PSL history. The PSL 2020 champions have suffered seven losses in nine matches they played so far. Tonight Kings will play its final match against Lahore but the result will not affect the scenario for Karachi.

After a disappointing outcome last year, fans expected that Karachi would bounce back in PSL 8, but the Kings have been failing miserably to defend their totals and chase the targets in the league matches. They lost four matches batting first while failing to chase five targets.

Karachi’s batsmen, Sharjeel Khan (42 runs in 4 matches), Haider Ali (101 in 5) and Ben Cutting (56 in 5) let down their team in the early phase.

Despite defeats in seven matches, skipper Imad Wasim remained the top scorer from his team with 359 runs in 9 matches while in 7 games he remained not out with a high average of 179.50 and a strike rate 174.27 with 3 fifties.

The Kings seem to rely substantially on the top order to get runs on the board as none of the batters after them seem to be performing up to the mark.

None of the players in the middle order have been able to add 50 runs to the total score individually, thus, leaving the team handicapped after the dismissal of the top order.

In nine matches, Kings tried multiple opening combinations: Sharjeel Khan & Adam Rossington, Matthew Wade & Adam Rossington, Matthew Wade & James Vince, Sharjeel Khan & James Vince and Sharjeel Khan and Matthew Wade, but only twice did the openers provide 50 plus partnerships.

The highest opening partnership of 72 runs was provided by Matthew Wade & James Vince against Multan Sultan.

A combination of misfortune and erratic decisions while picking their team had a deep impact on the performance of Karachi Kings.

In comparison to the rest of the teams, Karachi’s overseas contingent is one of the major factors that they have been unable to deliver.

On the bowling front, they have leaked runs at crucial junctures.

Karachi King’s strategies have also been affected by the injury of their main bowlers in the middle of the league. The fielding has also been subpar, with several dropped catches and missed run-out opportunities costing them dearly.

Overall, it was batting that let down Karachi Kings most of the occasion. Sharjeel, Haider, Shoaib, Irfan, Tayyab and Qasim all failed to deliver.

Veteran allrounder Shoaib Malik managed only 200 runs in 9 matches with a low average of 28.57 and a strike rate of 127.38. In nine matches he scored only two fifties.

Middle-order batsman Haider Ali failed to prove his skills. He scored only 101 runs in five games with a low average of 20.20 and a strike rate of only 109.78.

Master blaster opener Sharjeel Khan managed only 42 runs in four matches while in two matches he failed to open his account. His average was 10.50 and a strike rate 110.50.

Karachi Kings’ opener James Vince left his team after five matches to fulfil his national duty. Vince signed out of the PSL to join the England team for the white ball series against Bangladesh. Vince has been a mainstay of the Karachi Kings’ batting lineup in the tournament. He scored a quickfire fifty from just 20 balls in the first of the two clashes against Multan Sultans.

On the bowling side, Karachi Kings ace fast bowler Mohammad Amir also was not in a good form. He has taken only nine wickets in seven matches with an average of 23.33 and an economy rate of 8.07.

South African spinner Shams Tabriz has taken seven wickets in four games, averaging 14.71 with an economy rate of 6.43. Aamer Yamin has also taken seven wickets at a high average of 30.85 and a strike rate of 9.32.

After the defeat against Multan Sultan by 3 runs in a league match, dejected Karachi Kings president, Wasim Akram, lost his cool and kicked a sofa, which was in front of him.

Despite a pathetic performance, Karachi Kings’ assistant batting coach was satisfied with the young players and impressed with rising stars Tayyab Tahir, Qasim Akram and Ifran Khan Niazi.

“I’ve been very impressed with the youngsters, they’re very good boys, always happy, very joyful and got a lot of energy,” said Ravi Bopara after a match against Quetta.

Bopara also revealed the reason behind his team falling short in the last five overs of the matches and lamented the shortage of a death bowling specialist. “It’s not a problem that you can fix overnight. Death bowling is a special skill for which you have particular players,” said Bopara. He advised the bowlers to learn different ways of bowling death overs as he asserted that it was not realistic to expect six yorkers in an over by any bowler.

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