- Karachi Kings hopes to reach the playoff in PSL 2023.
- Chances of Imad Wasim’s team making it into the top four are still quite remote.
- Lahore Qalandars now sit atop the standings with 10 points from 6 games.
KARACHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions, Karachi Kings, lost to Islamabad United, although their hopes of making the playoffs are still in the balance. The chances of Imad Wasim’s team making it into the top four are still quite remote.
Lahore Qalandars now sit atop the standings with 10 points from 6 games. Multan Sultans and Islamabad United each have 8 points from the same amount of games as Qalandars. While Karachi Kings are now in fifth place with 4 points after 8 games, Peshawar Zalmi has 6 points from 6 games. With 2 points after 6 games, the Gladiators are at the bottom of the standings.
To ensure they finish with 8 points at the end of the league stage, Karachi Kings must first win their two remaining games against Quetta Gladiators and Lahore Qalandars.
In addition, Kings would like that Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi drop every game they have left to play, or at the very least their final three games before facing off against one another.
Whereas Islamabad United will play Quetta Gladiators on March 5, Multan Sultans on March 7, and Lahore Qalandars on March 9, Zalmi will play Lahore Qalandars on March 7, Quetta Gladiators on March 8, and Multan Sultans on March 10.
The final day of the league stage, March 12, sees Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi square off, and that game has the potential to spice up the league.
The Karachi Kings will like the following outcomes in the upcoming matches in order to maintain their PSL 8 hopes:
Match 20: Lahore Qalandars beat Multan Sultans: (LQ 12, MS 8, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 4, QG 2)
Match 21: Quetta Gladiators beat Islamabad United: (LQ 12, MS 8, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 4, QG 4)
Match 22: Karachi Kings beat Quetta Gladiators: (LQ 12, MS 8, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 4)
Match 23: Lahore Qalandars beat Peshawar Zalmi: (LQ 14, MS 8, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 4)
Match 24: Multan Sultans beat Islamabad United: (LQ 14, MS 10, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 4)
Match 25: Quetta Gladiators beat Peshawar Zalmi: (LQ 14, MS 10, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 6)
Match 26: Lahore Qalandars beat Islamabad United: (LQ 16, MS 10, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 6)
Match 27: Multan Sultans beat Peshawar Zalmi: (LQ 16, MS 12, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 6)
Match 28: Multan Sultans beat Quetta Gladiators: (LQ 16, MS 14, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 6)
*if QG beat MS: (LQ 16, MS 12, IU 8, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 8)
Match 29: Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi: (LQ 16, MS 14, IU 10, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 6)
*if QG beat MS and PZ beat IU (LQ 16, MS 12, IU 8, PZ 8, KK 6, QG 8)
*If MS beat QG and PZ beat IU (LQ 16, MS 14, IU 8, PZ 8, KK 6, QG 6)
*if QG beat MS and IU beat PZ (LQ 16, MS 12, IU 10, PZ 6, KK 6, QG 8)
Match 30: Karachi Kings beat Lahore Qalandars: (LQ 16, MS 14, IU 10, KK 8, PZ 6, QG 6)
If QG defeated MS, PZ defeated IU, and KK defeated LQ in matches 28, 29, and 30, and the other matches were decided as KK would want, the tournament would be more entertaining. NRR would then be taken into account if IU, PZ, KK, and QG were all tied on 8 points.
There are many ifs and buts hanging on to keep each team’s dreams alive as the PSL nears the conclusion of the league stage because, as they say, it is not over until it is over.
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