Hyderabad Kingsmen seek first win as PSL’s Karachi leg begins

KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen will try to halt their poor start to the HBL Pakistan Super League when they face Peshawar Zalmi at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday in the opening match of the tournament’s Karachi leg.

Karachi will host PSL fixtures until April 28. The Kingsmen, one of the two new teams in the expanded 11th edition of the league, have lost each of their first three matches and are currently at the foot of the standings.

Peshawar Zalmi have so far played the fewest matches in the competition, with only two outings. They beat Rawalpindiz in one game, while their fixture against Islamabad United was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Zalmi are returning to action after a break of almost a week.

Speaking on the sidelines of Hyderabad’s training session at the venue on Tuesday, all-rounder Hassan Khan said the team remained united despite the disappointing results.

“The start wasn’t as good as it should have been, but the environment is very good,” he said. “All the boys are together, gelling well and practicing. We spend time together in the hotel as well. So it’s a good atmosphere, and we hope that things will change.”

The shift to Karachi gives Hyderabad a different setting for the next phase of their campaign, although the match will take place behind closed doors because of the government’s ongoing austerity drive.

The National Bank Stadium has generally been known for producing batting-friendly T20 surfaces, with first-innings totals often in the 170-180 range. However, dew and spin can affect conditions later in the match.

Focus on Kingsmen captaincy

One of the main talking points around Hyderabad has been the appointment of Marnus Labuschagne as captain, given his comparatively limited T20 background and the demands of leading a new franchise. Hassan backed the decision and said the captain had now settled into the group.

“Marcus is an experienced player, a seasoned player,” said the 27-year-old. “As you know, he’s a big name in world cricket.

“Okay, his T20 experience may not be that much, but he plays Big Bash regularly and plays his cricket in Australia.

“It must have taken him some time in the beginning to get to know the boys. But I think now he has gelled very well with the boys, and in the upcoming matches, you’ll really see the difference.”

Labuschagne is expected to play a key role in bringing stability to a side that includes aggressive local batters Sharjeel Khan and Maaz Sadaqat, middle-order options such as Usman Khan, and all-round support from Hassan.

Zalmi’s batting strength in focus

Peshawar Zalmi enter the Karachi leg with a batting line-up that includes Mohammad Haris and captain Babar Azam at the top, along with Kusal Mendis and Abdul Samad in support.

Babar heads into the Karachi matches as the leading run-scorer at the National Bank Stadium in PSL history, having scored 1,245 runs in 27 matches at the venue.

Zalmi also have bowling options they will hope can contain Hyderabad’s attacking batting unit, including death-bowling resources and spinners such as Sufiyan Muqeem.

For Hyderabad, the immediate challenge is to turn what Hassan described as a positive dressing-room atmosphere into results on the field. Their early defeats have highlighted inconsistency with both bat and ball in pressure situations, and a strong performance in Karachi could provide momentum to their campaign.