DUBAI:
Of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 ended its league season and is all set to host four matches, starting on Wednesday.
With Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans at the top of the table, the first playoff will see Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan in a battle to meet directly at the end of the event on March 19 in the famous Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United were the other two teams that made it to the top four. They will meet on Thursday, in Eliminator 1, to enter Eliminator 2, where they will face the loser of the qualification between Lahore and Multan.
The high-energy drama of the league games saw Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators lose seven and win just three games each to finish fifth and sixth, respectively. the playoff group.
Opportunity
The HBL PSL8 is a 30-match tournament, starting from February 13 and ending on March 12, almost a month of cricket events.
When it comes to big wins by runs, Lahore Qalandars take the credit for defeating Islamabad United by a massive 119 runs in the 26th match of the league. After posting a total of 226, Lahore dismissed a power-packed Islamabad batting line-up for just 107 runs.
In terms of winning most wickets, Multan Sultans beat Quetta Gladiators by nine wickets to set the record in their name. Chasing a paltry 111 for victory, Multan chased down the target with nine wickets in five with 39 balls to spare, courtesy of Rilee Rossouw’s 78 off 42 balls.
Talking about lines, the team that came closest to winning then losing was Multan Sultans in the opening round of HBL PSL8. Multan were chasing 176 runs to win, but a clinical last over from Zaman Khan saw him defend 15 runs from the last over.
Islamabad are next on the chase list with just two wickets left in the bag. In the 21st match of the HBL PSL8, United were chasing 180 to win, and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf came to the rescue, holding down the tower with his 39 off 31 balls. to take the team to the finish line.
For their second win by two wickets, Faheem was again asked to finish the job while chasing 206 runs, and he did, with a terrific 51 from 26 balls courtesy of two sixes and five fours.
Large and small numbers
The highest HBL PSL8 total is 262 runs, scored by Multan Sultans in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium’s friendly match against Quetta Gladiators. 27-year-old Usman Khan played a knock of 120 off just 43 balls to take Multan to the highest total in the entire HBL PSL.
The Multan-Quetta match set another record of highest total of runs as Quetta replied with 253 runs. A total of 515 goals were scored in the match.
According to extras awarded in one HBL PSL8 match, Karachi conceded 19 runs: two strikes, four legs, 10 wides and three no-balls, in their match against Lahore.
But the record for most wides in an innings, 13, was met in three games. Islamabad won by 13 against Lahore on February 27, Multan versus Islamabad United on February 19, and Peshawar did the same against Lahore on February 26.
Bats and pottery
Multan captain Mohammad Rizwan scored 483 runs in 10 matches, making him the highest scorer after the HBL PSL8 league. Following is the captaincy of Peshawar Babar Azam in 416.
Interestingly, the third man on the list in Karachi captain Imad Wasim with 404 runs, is playing like a complete player and not a specialist. Apart from that, he also comes down the list at number five or six position, unlike Rizwan and Babar who are opening up the space for their own franchise.
England batsman Jason Roy has the highest individual score of 145 not out in HBL PSL8 so far, as he helped Quetta chase down a target 241. So far, he has just three five-fors in 30 league games: Ihsanullah’s 5-12 in four overs, Shaheen’s 5-40 in 24 balls, while Abbas’ 5-47 in his full quota .
In terms of wickets, Multan’s Abbas Afridi tops the list with 22 scalps from nine matches. He is followed by another Multan pacer Ihsanullah with 20 wickets in 10 matches, while Afghan spinner Rashid Khan is third on the list with 15 from eight outings.
Cops and arrests
Apart from batting and batting, the man behind the wickets and the outfield team also played an important role in HBL PSL8.
In the wicketkeeping department, Lahore’s Sam Billings and Multan’s Rizwan were outstanding behind the stumps with 11 dismissals each. Both players had 11 catches behind the goals in their team’s successful journeys to the playoffs. Billing, however, did it in seven games, while Rizwan did it in 10 games.
In one match, the most dismissals by a keeper came from Haseebullah Khan (four catches against Peshawar), who matched Billings (four catches against Lahore).
Meanwhile, West Indian Keiron Pollard is the safest man in the field, he bowled 11 wickets for Multan in nine matches. Karachi’s Irfan Khan is next on the list with seven catches in eight matches, while Islamabad’s captain Shadab Khan has also secured 7 in his innings. He played 10 games.
The most number of wickets scored in one match by three foreign players was bagged by Karachi’s Irfan against Quetta.
Partners
Partnerships are an important factor, even in the shortest T20 format, as they can make or break a tournament.
The highest partnership in terms of runs came between Peshawar’s Babar and opener Saim Ayub as they piled up 162 runs for the first wicket against Quetta.
Usman Khan and Mohammad Rizwan are second on the list with a 157-run partnership, for the first wicket, against Quetta.
Meanwhile, Babar and Tom Kohler-Cadmore put together 139 runs against Karachi for the third wicket to take third place in the list.
In the batting order, the most runs scored by the pair for the second wicket was between Lahore’s Fakhar Zaman and Kamran Ghulam (122).
Islamabad’s Faheem and Azam Khan put on 125 for the best fourth-wicket partnership, Karachi’s Shoaib Malik and Imad put on 131 for the fifth wicket. The 10th best partnership was between Lahore’s Sikandar Raza and Zaman Khan, who scored 23 runs against Quetta.
3 times top from the league section
Tons of Babar’s daughters
Babar Azam’s century against Quetta in the eighth edition of HBL PSL it was very classy in batting. His quality of play and impeccable shooting caused the opposition players to panic, as he scored at a rapid rate in his matches.
What made his century even more special was the fact that he expected it before the start of HBL PSL8, and then went on to fulfill his promise. His opening partnership of 162 with Saim was a testament to their partnership as they cleaned up the score with ease.
Babar’s century was a treat for cricketers all over the world, as they witnessed one of the best batsmen in action. His ability to find space in the field, play attack and defense, and keep bowlers on their toes is a sight to behold.
Games like this make Babar Azam one of the most exciting players in world cricket today. His contribution to Peshawar’s total of 240 was crucial, and it set the stage for a spectacular match. It will undoubtedly be eagerly awaited to see Babar’s many tricks in the game.
Usman Khan’s fireworks
Usman Khan’s outstanding performance in HBL PSL 2023 has certainly made him one of the most exciting prospects in Pakistan cricket. His score of 120 off just 43 balls was not only a match-winning effort, but also a record one.
Usman’s ability to hit the ball out of the park with ease and score boundaries at will is a delight for cricket fans. His 36-ball century was the fastest in the history of HBL PSL and it showcased his exceptional batting skills.
What was even more impressive was that Usman was given his first opportunity to be the opener for Multan and he proved his worth with his impressive performances. His knock not only helped his team get a crucial win but also cemented his place in the side.
Usman’s performance is a testament to the talent that exists in Pakistan cricket. With his amazing skills and fearlessness, he can become one of the most famous celebrities in the country. His performances will be remembered for a long time by fans and experts alike, and have certainly put him on the map as one to watch in the future.
Roy cried loudly
HBL PSL8 is an exciting tournament for cricketers around the world, and in one particular match, Quetta Gladiators managed to get a confidence-building win thanks to the spectacular performances by Jason Roy.
Roy seemed to be successful in the Rawalpindi conditions as he played a vital role in securing his team’s win against Peshawar. Quetta had their work cut out for them as they chased down a daunting target of 241 by the Babar-led Peshawar team.
However, Roy was not afraid of the challenge and played impressively in the innings including 20 fours and five sixes. He remained unbeaten on 145 runs and took Quetta back to victory, earning one of their three wins in the tournament.
Roy’s games were a master class in effortless and calculated striking, and he displayed great skill and poise on the edge. His performance will surely be one of the highlights of the 2023 HBL PSL and will be remembered by cricketers for years to come.
It is important to note that the Asian cricket team performed well in Pakistan, but Roy’s score showed that players from other areas can also excel in these situations.
Many wins
7
this is the number of wins bagged by Lahore Qalandars as they top the HBL PSL8 table with 14 points.
Big loss
7
the number of losses suffered King of Karachi and Quetta Gladiators in HBL PSL8, pushing them out of the game.
Vision
Odds: Lahore to beat Multan
Round 1: Islamabad beats Peshawar
Eliminator 2: Multan beat Islamabad
Last: Multan to beat Lahore and win HBL PSL8.
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