LAHORE QALANDARS VS. KARACHI KINGS: PAK T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 27 | PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In the 27th match of the Pak T20 League 2021, Lahore Qalandars are up against defending champions Karachi Kings at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night.
We are in the last leg of the league games in this year’s competition. Karachi Kings lost their last game against Peshawar Zalmi by a big margin and need to win this game by a huge margin to keep their hopes of a playoff berth alive. Their opponents, Lahore Qalandars, come into this game after a surprising loss against Quetta Gladiators in their last match.
Lahore Qalandars, after starting the UAE leg with back-to-back wins, have suffered two consecutive losses. They currently find themselves 3rd in the points table, with 10 points from their eight matches. A win here will qualify them for the playoffs stage. However, they will need the likes of Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hafeez to make big runs. Ben Dunk and Tim David are capable of scoring quick runs in the middle and final overs. James Faulkner and Shaheen Afridi did well with the new ball in the last game and along with talisman Rashid Khan, they will have a very important role to play here.
Karachi Kings, after winning 3 out of their first 5 games, have lost all their games in the UAE leg so far. They are having a bad season with the bat, with only Babar Azam scoring consistently for them. The rest of the line-up have struggled to produce big performances. Martin Guptill has failed in all three games, while cameos from Chadwick Walton and Najibullah Zadran have not been enough for victory. The bowlers have picked up only 11 wickets in the last three games, which will be a major point of concern for the team.
With this being a crucial game for Karachi Kings, expect them to go hard at a strong Qalandars unit in the heat of Abu Dhabi.
Match Details
- Match: Lahore Qalandars vs. Karachi Kings, Match 27
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Jun. 17, 2021, at 11:30 PM IST/10 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Lahore Qalandars
Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akthar (C), Muhammad Faizan, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (WK), Tim David, Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal
Karachi Kings
Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Martin Guptill, Najeebullah Zadran, Chadwick Walton (WK), Thisara Perera, Imad Wasim (C), Mohammad 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 32 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is now producing high-scoring games. 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 from the surface. The average first-innings score in the games played here this season has been 161 runs.
Chasing seems to be the trend in the tournament. With the pitch not likely to change much during the game, expect the captain winning the toss to opt to field first. A score of around 190 runs should be a competitive one here.
Top Fantasy Picks
Lahore Qalandars
- Fakhar Zaman is the top run scorer for Lahore Qalandars this season, with 255 runs in eight matches at an average of 36.42 and a strike rate of 130.1. He has made only 66 runs in the four innings since the resumption of the league, with a high score of 44.
- James Faulkner has become the second-highest wicket taker for Lahore this year, with 11 wickets at an average of 9 and an economy rate of 6.18. He has also scored 25 runs with the bat. He has taken 2 three-wicket hauls in his last two bowling spells.
- Rashid Khan has gone a little quiet after giving his team 2 match-winning performances earlier in the UAE leg. He has taken only 1 wicket and scored 12 runs in the last two matches. Expect him to bounce back with a big all-round performance here.
Karachi Kings
- Babar Azam is the second-highest run scorer in the league, with 424 runs in seven matches at an average of 84.8 and a strike rate of 139.47. After making a couple of 80s in the previous two matches, he got out for a first-ball duck against the Zalmi. Expect him to make a big score here.
- Sharjeel Khan is the second-highest run scorer for Karachi this season, with 254 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 154.87. He got decent starts in the last couple of games, making 25 runs in both matches. He will look to go big at the top of the order for the Kings.
- Waqas Maqsood has been the main wicket taker for Karachi Kings this season, picking up 7 wickets in seven matches at an average of 27.42 and an economy rate of 9.36. Defending a low score in the last match, there was not much scope for him to make any difference in the game.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: B Dunk
- Batsmen: F Zaman, T David, N Zadran, B Azam, S Khan
- All-rounders: J Faulkner, I Wasim
- Bowlers: R Khan, H Rauf, W Maqsood
- Captain: J Faulkner/F Zaman
- Vice Captain: B Azam/S Khan
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can make your match prediction 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.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
