PSL 2022: Where are Karachi Kings going wrong?

LAHORE: The former champion of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Karachi Kings have suffered six consecutive defeats in six games in PSL 7. The Babar Azam-led side has yet to taste a win in the tournament and are now on the verge of being eliminated from the race to play-offs.

A lot is being said about the reasons behind the Kings’ poor show in PSL 7 which started in Karachi on January 27 and now the second phase is being played in Lahore.

When did the problems start?

Problems for Kings started even before the tournament commenced when Mohammad Aamir was unable to regain full fitness and, subsequently, ruled out of the tournament.

They suffered another blow when Mohammad Illyas got injured.

But the other bowlers inducted in the setup did reasonably well, which raises questions on the batting line of Karachi Kings.

With the likes of Babar, Sharjeel Khan, and Joe Clarke in the lineup, one wouldn’t expect such fragility in batting.

The major problem

A major problem with Kings is Sharjeel’s struggle with form and Babar’s reluctance to change the brand of cricket he’s playing which is not doing any favours to the Kings. As a result, the team remains desperate to get a good start.

The problem at top order has deprived the Kings of the start they would want in their matches; the maximum Kings have scored in power play is 48/0.

In three out of six matches, the Kings’ power-play score was in the 30s which, undoubtedly, puts pressure on following batters to accelerate the scoreboard.

One example of the Kings’ poor strategy in power-play was the game against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday afternoon in Lahore where they scored 31 runs in the first six overs, chasing a target of 194.

They played 18 dot-balls in the power-play overs where they should’ve displayed some fireworks.

Can Babar Azam be blamed?

It would obviously be unfair to put all the blame on Babar who has 253 runs at an average of 50.60 in 6 innings which looks like a reasonable stat, but when we go into further details, we find that his strike rate is around 120.

He has faced 210 deliveries in the tournament so far and has hit only one six — which may be the problem.

Being a captain, Babar should take some responsibility — not blame — on his shoulders and change the brand of cricket he’s playing because the others around him aren’t able to perform the way they should’ve been.

The current approach may have been helpful for him in T20Is where he has the likes of Muhammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman around him, but in Kings — he is not getting such support.

In PSL, the time for him to become his own support system has come.

It is still not too late for Karachi Kings. Though many if and buts are on their way, they’re still in contention to keep hopes of Karachiites’ alive. Kings need to change their approach.