PSL Points table: Still anyone’s game, except Qalandars
Whose party will Qalandar’s spoil?
The third season of the Pakistan Super League is about to get more exciting. Other than Lahore Qalandars who are firmly at the bottom, all five teams still have a chance to get one of the four spots in the playoffs. Here is the points table:
Peshawar Zalmi are the only team who need victory in all of their remaining matches to have a shot at playing the final in Karachi. With 6 points from 8 games, Zalmi lag three points behind Multan and Islamabad, and four behind Karachi and Quetta. For Zalmi to qualify, not only do they need to win both matches but they also need a high net-run rate, with hopes that no team can decisively outstrip them.
Because the top four are settled quite comfortably, a single win for any team will guarantee a place in the final. Multan faces a slight danger, with only 1 game to go and 9 points on the board. However, they can still lose-yet-qualify if Zalmi loses one or all of its fixtures. Multan has had a mixed first season so far, their brilliant start somewhat dampened by five losses in 7 games.
Karachi kings have a better chance than Multan, with two games to go and 9 points on the board. The team looks certain to qualify in the middle of the season but has now slid down to third. Still, a single win takes them beyond the grasp of Zalmi.
Quetta and Islamabad have one argument each to prove themselves as the best performing team so far. Quetta sits at number one due to the vastly superior net run rate, but Islamabad have a game in hand. Both these teams can lose their remaining fixtures and still qualify, provided no one catches up in the run rate.
So whose party will Qalandar spoil? While Qalandars lost their first six matches, they now have two consecutive wins, including the super over clinch over Karachi. Lahore only have their pride to salvage from their fixture against Quetta, but they can end Zalmi’s campaign for good. One thing is for certain, they will not let go of their winning streak easily. The PSL is set to return to Sharjah from today, to decide who will make it.