Dubai: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has reached the last phase before the eliminator round. All teams will be guarding against defeat during the next week, especially the three teams Lahore Qalandars, Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United.
Though Islamabad have six points after five game they need to boost their run rate. Though bottom-placed Lahore team’s management is stunned by their team’s collective failure, they are keen to win the remaining matches.
Brendon McCullum, the captain of Lahore team, has done everything possible to lift the spirits of his team, showing the way through his batting. Unfortunately, his teammates haven’t shown the same determination to rise to the challenge. McCullum will be bringing about a few changes to the team in their next match on Thursday against Islamabad United. He wants the team’s thinking to change immediately and have a positive outlook. “We have to change our thought process. We are still in this competition and are optimistic about our chances,” said McCullum.
Having not won any of the matches, Lahore are also under pressure from their fans. Withstanding all criticisms, especially in the social media, Lahore team coach Aaqib Javed said: “There are five more matches remaining in the series and we as a team would try to excel in those matches.”
Equally wanting to lift their game is Quetta Gladiators, who after five games won only two matches. It has been a shocking performance from this team, who had played so well in the previous two editions and finished runners-up in both matches. Quetta’s batting has been worrying captain Sarfraz Ahmad and he candidly admitted after his team’s defeat to Peshawar Zalmi on March 1 that his team’s batting and bowling will have to improve.
“We need to improve our batting. We should’ve scored a bit more. We also need a bit more variation with our bowling.”
Sarfraz is understood to have has held discussions with coach Moin Khan on bringing about some surprise changes and shuffling to the team in the coming matches.
Islamabad United too are keen to lift their game in the coming matches. Their fifth match win over Karachi Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium by eight wickets have boosted their confidence. Islamabad captain Misbah-ul-Haq even admitted that the win over Karachi have given them the momentum.
“We were missing this kind of performance in the earlier games. We were clinical in all departments of the game. Our batting was struggling at the top and we have got a lot of it back now,” he said.
Misbah also revealed that their victory over Karachi and their Super Over win over Lahore has hardened his team. “Once you do well against sides, who are playing well you gain a lot of confidence.”
Islamabad trained hard at the ICC Academy ground under the watchful eyes of Waqar Younis, who is the director of the team, as well as the team’s bowling coach.
Interestingly Islamabad’s head coach Dean Jones made the best comment on what lies in future for the teams in the coming week. “What we do in the early rounds is not what matters but what we do in the last matters. So to win matches sheer hard work and the belief to make the change is very important.”
