RAWALPINDI – The HBL Pakistan Super League X is all set to resume on Saturday, May 17 after a nine-day hiatus with Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi taking on David Warner’s Karachi Kings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
With last year’s runners up – Multan Sultans, who have won one out of nine games this year, ruled out of the title race in the 34-match tournament, the remaining five teams are in contention to qualify for the playoffs.
While Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings ranked first and second with 13 and 10 points, respectively, Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi face the prospect of must-win games.
Zalmi have two league games left, while Qalandars have one game to go. Both the teams, with four wins each to their name, will be fighting tooth and nail to bag crucial two points.
On Sunday, May 18, Sultans will take on Gladiators in first of the two matches, while Zalmi will be up against Qalandars in another riveting contest. Shadab Khan’s United will lock horns with Kings in the last league game on 19 May.
The Qualifier, Eliminator 1 & 2 and the Final are scheduled at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore from 21-25 May with Saturday, 24 May being the rest day.
Among the batters, after 26 HBL PSL X matches, Mohammad Rizwan (363 – Hanif Mohammad Cap), Sahibzada Farhan (321) and Fakhar Zaman (309) are the top three run getters. On the bowling front, Mohammad Abbas Afridi and Jason Holder are the joint leading wicket-takers (Fazal Mahmood Cap) with 15 scalps each in eight games, while Abrar Ahmed and Hasan Ali are joint-second on the ladder having snapped 14 poles each.
Peshawar Zalmi’s Mohammad Haris has the most (10) dismissals to his name, while Quetta Gladiators’ Rilee Rossouw has taken the most catches (11).
Tickets update:
The fans who had bought tickets for the May 8 Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, May 9 Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars and May 10 Islamabad United v Karachi Kings fixtures can now use the same tickets for the corresponding 17, 18 and 19 May fixtures, respectively.
With May 18 being a double-header day at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the previously issued May 9 ticket can be used to attend both the games. The first ball of the afternoon match will be bowled at 3.30pm, while the evening match will start at 8pm.
All other evening matches apart from May 18 fixture will begin at 7.30pm.
Additionally, fans who have bought tickets for Eliminators 1, 2 and the Final can use them as per the new announced dates of the respective matches.
