Can the Champions of the 2021 edition of the tournament retain their title or was PSL 5 merely an aberration?

Nabeel Husain (15th February, 2021)

After reaching the playoff stage in each of the first 4 editions of the PSL, the Karachi Kings last year finally went one step further and lifted the trophy, under the stewardship of captain Imad Wasim. What’s on the agenda this year? Becoming the first ever PSL side to successfully retain their crown, tying Islamabad United for the most titles in the process.

Going into the 2021 edition, the Kings have retained the majority of the core of their title-winning team. The dynamic opening partnership of Babar Azam and Sharjeel Khan, the seasoned all-round abilities of captain Imad Wasim, and the highly successful pace bowling duo of Mohammad Amir and Arshad Iqbal were all key facets of Karachi’s triumph last season that we are sure to see in action this year.

But a lot has changed since Imad and co. lifted the trophy 4 months ago. After the passing of the late Dean Jones, Karachi have brought in the relatively inexperienced Herschelle Gibbs as their Head Coach. The Kings have also released a number of high profile names from the team. The big hitting Alex Hales was traded to Islamabad United for Colin Ingram, while the T20 stalwart Chris Jordan, the highly rated young spinner Umer Khan and the man in form for Pakistan, Mohammad Rizwan were all released. Just how costly these releases will be remains to be seen.


Strengths

When considering the Kings’ strengths, one cannot look past the batting megastar Babar Azam, the leading run scorer of PSL 5 by some distance. While he has struggled for form lately for Pakistan, the former number one ranked T20I batsman is undoubtedly Karachi’s biggest asset. In Mohammad Amir, the Kings have still one of the world’s leading white-ball bowlers, and one who has recently committed his career to leagues such as this one. The franchise has also massively bolstered their middle order options at the PSL draft, bringing in the likes of Dan Christian, Mohammad Nabi and Danish Aziz. Unlike last year, the Kings should have no issues finishing an innings.


Weaknesses

In acquiring a lot of middle order batsman and all-rounders, the Kings’ squad has been left slightly unbalanced. The loss of Alex Hales, who scored his 272 runs last season at an S/R of 149, leaves a gaping hole at number 3, which is most likely to be filled by Zeeshan Malik, Joe Clarke or Colin Ingram, all of whom are unlikely to provide the consistency and strike rate that Hales did. Similarly, the losses of Umaid Asif and Chris Jordan, who was Karachi’s joint-second highest wicket taker last year, leaves a dearth of quality fast bowling, especially at the death. In a team not blessed with top quality spinners, there will be big pressure on the likes of Aamer Yamin, Waqas Maqsood and Mohammad Ilyas to fill this void.


Players to watch out for

One very astute acquisition that the Kings made at the PSL Draft was that of enterprising all-rounder Danish Aziz, who caught the eye of many with his big hitting performances striking at 155 in Sindh’s middle order in the National T20 Cup 2020. If he is given the platform to finish the innings on a regular basis, expect the 25 year-old to show just how good he is.

With the loss of Hales in the top order, the acquisition of Joe Clarke is a very interesting one. His outstanding displays batting at number 3 and striking at 175 in the Vitality Blast 2020, including a 44-ball century, earned him Nottinghamshire’s Player of the Tournament award. If Karachi are to gamble on Clarke to replace his fellow Englishman, it might just pay off.


Verdict

If the superstar duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Amir can fire once again, and the new middle order acquisitions can bed in quickly, Imad Wasim’s side has every chance of retaining their title. However, with the slight imbalance of the squad and the lack of a top quality bowling attack, a finish as runners-up or a place in the playoffs seems the more likely route for the Karachi Kings.


Full Squad:

Imad Wasim (C), Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, Chadwick Walton, Dan Christian, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nabi, Sharjeel Khan, Danish Aziz, Joe Clarke, Waqas Maqsood, Zeeshan Malik, Noor Ahmed, Mohammad Ilyas, Amir Yamin, Arshad Iqbal, Qasim Akram, Abbas Afridi

Discuss!