Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars face off for the grand prize. A new champion will be crowned as both the teams are playing their first-ever final in the PSL.
Lahore played a near-perfect game against Multan Sultans.
Their openers who were out of form gave a strong start with Tamim Iqbal smashing a quickfire 30 and Fakhar Zaman hitting 46. In the end, Samit Patel and David Wiese added a lot of runs at the death powering the team to 182.
Only Adam Lyth of Multan managed to salvage some pride with his half-century. Khushdil Shah showed some resistance with his knock of 30 but did not get any support as Ravi Bopara and Shahid Afridi were dismissed cheaply.
Haris Rauf and Wiese were the stars with the ball taking three wickets each.
Karachi Kings have been functioning like a well-oiled unit so far. With Babar Azam and Alex Hales smashing bulk of the runs and Imad Wasim pitching with useful cameos at the end, their batting looks strong at the moment. The Caribbean duo of Chadwick Walton and Sherfane Rutherford would aim to contribute some runs.
The young Arshad Iqbal and the experienced Mohammad Amir are the key bowlers for Karachi. Wayne Parnell would have to pull up his socks after conceding more than 11 runs an over in the last match.
Team News
Skipper Sohail Akthar needs to step up for Lahore after two successive failures. Mohammad Rizwan may return for Karachi after missing their super over win against Multan.
Pitch and Conditions
Lahore showed why teams batting first can also win matches if they post big totals on board. With the pitches being flat, the 8:30 pm start could mean that dew could prove to be a factor. Expect the side that wins the toss to bowl first.
Probable Playing XI
Karachi Kings: Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Alex Hales, Iftikhar Ahmed/Mohammad Rizwan, Chadwick Walton (wk), Imad Wasim (capt) Sherfane Rutherford, Wayne Parnell, Mohammad Amir, Waqas Maqsood, Arshad Iqbal
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal, Sohail Akhtar (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wk), David Weise, Samit Patel, Muhammad Faizan, Dilbar Hussain, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi
Key Battles:
Babar Azam vs Shaheen Afridi
The explosive right-hander has smashed 409 runs in this tournament. Azam's great stroke-making ability and ice-cool mindset have been his main strengths.
The 20-year-old Afridi has bagged 17 wickets in the tournament. His excellent variations at the death and raw pace have made him a deadly customer.
Fakhar Zaman vs Mohammad Amir
Zaman got some much-needed confidence with his crucial knock of 46 in the last match. His 'see the ball, hit the ball' approach has paid him rich dividends.
Amir is one of the best opening bowlers in T20's and he has picked 10 wickets so far. His nagging outswingers and accurate yorkers can trouble Zaman who will look to get his side off to a flyer.
Prediction
While Lahore has relied on all-round contributions from their side, Karachi has depended mainly on Azam, Hales, Amir, and Iqbal to do the job. Lahore has talent on their side while Karachi has more experience and better quality with the ball. There will be a lot of quality on show in Karachi for sure.
Cricwizz predicts Karachi Kings to win the Pakistan Super League.
