Pakistan Super League 2019 - Lahore Qalandars team preview
After three successful seasons, the PSL (Pakistan Super League) is back again and is ushering in prime-time for Pakistan cricket. With three good seasons to its credit, the fourth edition of PSL promises to be even bigger and more engaging.
As PSL is set to entertain all the T20 lovers around the world, let's have a closer look at the team Lahore Qaladars.
Lahore yearns for glory
For three consecutive seasons, Lahore Qalandars languished at the bottom of the PSL table and remained the most disappointing franchise in the league with just 8 wins in 26 matches. But like previous editions, this time too the Lahore Qalandars squad is filled with star players.
AB de Villiers' availability for the final two league games in Pakistan will provide plenty of joy to the Qalandars as well as cricket fans in the country, as it will encourage many other international players to go and play there. And in Mohammad Hafeez, the Qalandars have finally got a fine local captain to nurture their local talent.
Fakhar Zaman and Anton Devcich form a solid opening combination at the top. Carlos Brathwaite and Corey Anderson will provide depth and firepower to their lineup towards the end. Meanwhile, Brendan Taylor and Haris Sohail can play anchor roles in the middle.
On paper, the Qalandars look to have one of the most dangerous batting departments.
Pakistan's young pace sensation Shaheen Afridi will lead the bowling attack. The leg spin combination of Yasir Shah and Nepal's Sandeep Lamichhane looks exciting, and the two are creating a lot of buzz around their bowling in tandem.
The team lacks another lethal pacer in the squad though, and may depend on a bunch of all-rounders to finish their bowling quota.
Injuries to star players have jolted the Qalandars' journey in the past PSL seasons. This season, with all their star players injury-free and available to play all the league matches, including two in front of their home crowd at Lahore, the Qalandars are finally looking well placed to make all the right noises in the league.
Key Players - AB de Villiers, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shaheen Afridi, Anton Devcich
PSL Record
--> Matches - 26 | Wins - 8 | Loses - 18 | Tie - 0 | NR - 0
--> Win % - 30.76
--> 2016 - 5th | 2017 - 5th | 2018 - 6th
Squad
Mohammad Hafeez (c), AB de Villiers, Agha Salman, Aizaz Cheema, Anton Devcich, Brendan Taylor, Carlos Brathwaite, Corey Anderson, Fakhar Zaman, Gauhar Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Khan, Mohammad Imran, Rahat Ali, Sandeep Lamichhane, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Akhtar, Umair Masood, Yasir Shah, Saad Ali, David Wiese, Hardus Viljoen
Coach - Aqib Javed