Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi face off today to stay alive in PSL 8
Cricket
The winner of Eliminator 1 will face Lahore Qalandars on Friday
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi is set to lock horns in the first Eliminator today (Thursday) and the team that loses will get knocked out of the event.
The winner will face Lahore Qalandars, who suffered defeat in qualifier against Multan Sultans, on Friday.
It has been another good year for Islamabad United – the only team to have lifted the PSL title twice. They have won six matches in the league stage, but their all-out attacking approach has also seen them crash and burn in the three games that they lost. Their only outing in Multan was marred by 52-run defeat before Lahore Qalandars subjected them to the heaviest defeats by 110 runs in Lahore and 119 runs in Rawalpindi.
Azam Khan has been at his destructive best and the hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter has smashed 280 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 162.79.
They have a well-knit unit of T20 specialists that has a potential to go all the way and Islamabad United will fancy their chances of winning the coveted title for the third time.
Peshawar Zalmi were the last side to book a spot in the Playoffs, but that does not mean that there are any qualms about their ability to challenge either of the three sides left in the tournament. They have struck gold by promoting youngster Saim Ayub to the top of the order and have produced one of the most elegant and effective opening pairs. Saim and Babar Azam have opened in three matches together and have already produced a partnership of over 150 and over 100 that also at telling run rates.
Wahab Riaz, with nine wickets in as many matches, has been their most prolific bowler, but they will happily bank on the experience of the pacer to deliver goods in the Playoffs, with other pacers in Arshad Iqbal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aamir Jamal, Jimmy Neeshan playing supporting role.
