ISLAMABAD UNITED VS. KARACHI KINGS: PAK T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 22 | PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In the 22nd match of the Pak T20 League 2021, Islamabad United are up against defending champions Karachi Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening.
Islamabad United will be pleased with their fantastic comeback against Lahore Qalandars, which saw them beat the opposition by 28 runs. They now rank 1st in the points table with 5 wins from their 7 games. Despite the win over Qalandars, the top order remains an area of concern for the team. The top 5 batters scored just 18 runs in the last match before Asif Ali delivered a spectacular inning in a tough situation with Iftikhar Ahmed for company. In the bowling department, pacer Muhammad Musa picked up the big wickets of Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez and Ben Dunk to turn the game in favor of United. Fawad Ahmed and Shadab Khan also picked up 2 wickets each.
On the other hand, Karachi Kings will be looking for redemption after a loss in their previous game against the Sultans. Despite the brilliant innings by Babar Azam and a useful cameo by Chadwick Walton, the Kings ended up short of the target. The onus will be again on the top order to do most of the scoring. In the bowling department, the likes of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir are expected to make crucial breakthroughs for the team. Thisara Perera has been a good addition to the team in this second leg.
With the points table slowly taking shape, both sides will look to get that early ticket to the playoffs here. That should make for a great contest in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Match Details
- Match: Islamabad United vs. Karachi Kings, Match 22
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Jun. 14, 2021, at 9:30 PM IST/8 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Islamabad United
Usman Khuwaja, Colin Munro, Rohail Nazir (WK), Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan (C), Asif Ali, Mohammad Musa, Fawad Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim, Akif Javed
Karachi Kings
Sharjeel Khan, Martin Guptill, Babar Azam, Chadwick Walton (WK), Thisara Perera, Najeebullah Zadran, Imad Wasim (C), Mohd Amir, Arshad Iqbal, Waqas Maqsood, Qasim Akram
Pitch & Weather Report
The weather is expected to be clear in Abu Dhabi during the match. The temperature will be around 33 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is becoming good to bat on. Shot selection for the batters will be crucial, given the large outfield. Pacers should get some swing and bounce early on, while spinners should get the ball to turn and grip. The average first-innings score in the games played here this season has been 162 runs.
Chasing seems to be the trend in the tournament. With the pitch not likely to change much during the game and given the dew factor in the second innings, expect the captain winning the toss to opt to field first. A score of around 175 runs should be a competitive one here.
Top Fantasy Picks
Islamabad United
- Asif Ali, under pressure for his repeated failures, produced one of his finest performances for Islamabad United in the previous match. He scored 75 runs with the help of 6 fours and 5 sixes to lead the fightback for United and eventually take his team to victory in the end.
- Shadab Khan failed to deliver with the bat against Lahore but made up for it with the ball. He scored just 5 runs before getting dismissed, leaving the team in a whole heap of trouble. However, he picked up the key wickets of Tim David and Rashid Khan to help the team win.
- Mohammad Musa has been a pick of the Islamabad United bowlers since the resumption of the league, with 5 wickets in two games at an average of 11.2 and an economy rate of 8.63. He was brilliant with the ball in the last match, taking 3 for 18 in his 3-over spell.
Karachi Kings
- Babar Azam is the second-highest run scorer in the league this season, with 343 runs in five matches at an average of 114.33 and a strike rate of 137.75. He scored 85 runs off 63 balls against the Sultans in the previous match and will look to continue his good form here.
- Thisara Perera is a quality all-rounder and has a lot of experience playing in different leagues. Playing his first match of the season, he picked up the key wickets of power-hitters Hetmyer and Rossouw in his 3-over spell against the Sultans.
- Waqas Maqsood has been the prime wicket taker for Karachi Kings in this year’s tournament, picking up 6 wickets in five matches at an average of 26.16 and an economy rate of 10.12. He has not gone wicketless in the tournament so far and looks good to pick up more wickets here.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: C Walton
- Batsmen: C Munro, A Ali, B Azam, M Guptill
- All-rounders: S Khan, T Perera, I Wasim
- Bowlers: M Musa, M Wasim, W Maqsood
- Captain: M Guptill/B Azam
- Vice Captain: S Khan/C Munro
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play fantasy cricket matches. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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