The race for playoffs for the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League is now closed as the top fours to contest in the stage have been decided. While the third-placed Islamabad United will lock horns with fourth-placed Quetta Gladiators in Eliminator 1, table-toppers Multan Sultans are all set to clash in the Qualifier with Peshawar Zalmi, who are placed second on the PSL 2024 leaderboard.
The Qualifier is set to be played at National Bank Cricket Arena on March 14th and is slated to begin at 9 pm PST (local time). Throughout the league, players from both sides have showcased dominance. Some batters have emerged as strong performers, while many bowling performances got the attention of the lookouts too. In this article, we will take a look at the top three players to keep an eye on during the PSL 2024 Qualifier.
3 players to watch during PSL 2024 qualfiier
3) Babar Azam
Azam, the skipper of Peshawar Zalmi, is the leading run-scorer of the season at the conclusion of the round-robin stage. The right-handed batter has amassed 540 runs from 10 innings at an average of 60. Three consecutive half-centuries against Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, and Multan Sultans further bolster his place as one of the players to watch for during MS vs PZ.
Azam’s century (111*) against Islamabad United is still talked about. The fanatics hope their all-time favorite cover drive master will duplicate these performances in the Qualifier, helping his team to reach the final.
2) Saim Ayub
Saim, primarily known as a top-order batter, caught lookouts’ attention during PSL 9 as an all-rounder. His exceptional bowling performances were the limelight of the season. Despite being a batter, he also played as a bowler in seven innings and managed six wickets rendering overs economically.
One of his top bowling performances was against United as he bagged two for 15. Some other bowling performances include 1/18 against Karachi, 2/20 against Gladiators, and 1/24 against United in the early stage.
Apart from his bowling, he is also Zalmi’s second-leading run-scorer before playoffs. Under his belt, the 21-year old enjoys 271 runs from nine innings with a best of 88 against Lahore Qalandars. which won him the Player of the Match award.
3) Mohammad Ali
It would not be wrong to term Mohammad Ali as ‘the best find of the PSL 9′. His bowling has been eye-catching throughout the tournament. Fans’ excitement to see Ali’s bowling was palpable specifically in the initial stages.
The Sultan’s pacer has featured in all ten games and counts 17 wickets to his name at an economy of 8.35. Some of his best spells include 3/23 in the Sultans’ opener against Kings, 3/19, 2/28, 2/23, and 3/19 in the subsequent matches against United, Qalandars, Zalmi, and Gladiators, respectively.
Although he consistently bagged wickets with decent economy rates in the first-half of the league, he somehow conceded a few extra runs in the later stage. Out of 17, his 13 wickets came in the first five matches, while in the next five, he could bag four.
Sultans’ fans are excited to see if he will be able to replicate his performance from the initial stages of the PSL 9 as the Qualifier looms.
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Match officials for PSL 2024 playoffs and final announced
