Peshawar Zalmi looking absolutely flat this season

[Savak]

In all the PSL seasons, this was perhaps the one Franchise full of energy, passion where all the players played freely. This season they have been very flat and underwhelming especially in the field.

I wonder if Darren Sammy being absent in the dug out is having an impact. They have also been let down by a below par Wahab Riaz with the ball who is actually showing signs of an aging cricketer.

Ben Cutting seems a useless pick, have no idea what he brings to the table, is not a reliable bowler and batsman.

 

[Savak]

I wonder whether the reason why Ben Cutting gets picked in the PSL is because without him being picked in the PSL, Erin Holland will refuse to come to the PSL?

 

[gazza619]

Whose idea was it to give captaincy to one of the big failures at international cricket?

 

[Cric_lover4487]

Wahab is looking totally zoned out of the competition. Athletes are driven by passion and need motivation. Not all cricketers can push themselves in franchise cricket once their international career is over.

 

[Rana]

PZ, KK and QG are quite uninspiring this year.

 

[Forum363]

They deserve to be humiliated. For the simple reason that is Kamran Akmal.

They allowed themselves to be blackmailed.

Not to mention the useless Wahab as their main player and captain. They need a total revamp next season.

 

[gazza619]

Wahab is looking totally zoned out of the competition. Athletes are driven by passion and need motivation. Not all cricketers can push themselves in franchise cricket once their international career is over.

Seems like all his focus is on his looks.

 

[Mirpur express]

They deserve to be humiliated. For the simple reason that is Kamran Akmal.

They allowed themselves to be blackmailed.

Not to mention the useless Wahab as their main player and captain. They need a total revamp next season.

Agreed % they allowed the Lahori gang to dictate too much , Ps the northern areas are producing the best players in Pakistan especially bowlers but PZ seem to be missing out on them somehow!!

 

[Forum363]

Agreed ��% they allowed the Lahori gang to dictate too much , Ps the northern areas are producing the best players in Pakistan especially bowlers but PZ seem to be missing out on them somehow!!

Malik has out performed for them which is why they're not at the bottom, but there seems to be no planning or strategy for them. They used to be like MS, always winning games even on off days.

Only Haider is an x-factor player for them and he's not sticking around long enough.

 

[Major]

To be honest, peshawar always picked up a weak team. They were never a team that cpncentrated on performance that much and was in it for the marketing.

With peshawar, kk and quetta doing bad and islamabad bottling games, coming in the top 4 aint hard.

Make it to the 4th positioncand just ein the last three games. Nothing hard

 

[Cric_lover4487]

Malik has out performed for them which is why they're not at the bottom, but there seems to be no planning or strategy for them. They used to be like MS, always winning games even on off days.

Only Haider is an x-factor player for them and he's not sticking around long enough.

I feel PZ will end up at 4th position. They are poor but KK & QG are worst. I expect Zazai to have few good days and win them some games. As a cricket fan, i am disappointed with Haider. He needs to move to a franchise which can groom him. In PZ everyone is just playing to collect paycheck especially retired players like Wahab, Malik, Akmal.

 

[Savak]

Darren Sammy was able to inspire the team as captain and on the bench. I am pretty sure his abscence has made a difference. He was not interested in coming to the PSL this time, apparently Zalmi were trying to convince him to come as a mentor for the second leg in Lahore, not sure if he has responded positively.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

PZ have looked thin on paper for 2-3 seasons now but somehow they manage to hang around and deliver more than the sum of their parts. And they punch above their power as well. I don't expect them not to make the play offs cause Karachi is playing extremely worse and Quetta isn't doing much better either.
But yes they need an overhaul and need to develop a new core from next season onwards.

 

[BunnyRabbit]

I feel PZ will end up at 4th position. They are poor but KK & QG are worst. I expect Zazai to have few good days and win them some games. As a cricket fan, i am disappointed with Haider. He needs to move to a franchise which can groom him. In PZ everyone is just playing to collect paycheck especially retired players like Wahab, Malik, Akmal.

Apparently only Peshawar and Lahore have batting coaches in PSL. PZ have Amla and LQ have Mansoor Rana and Ben Dunk as "power hitting coach". Moin Khan is head coach/batting coach of QG but I doubt that counts. IU, KK and MS don't have any batting coach.

 

[Saj]

A few tired legs who in boxing terms have been a few too many rounds.

Their best players mostly look like the overseas guys and the youngsters - that in itself tells you a lot about this team.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The captain is a discarded international failure who got tonkes around by new zealand b players in side games.

They have Kamran Akmal at the top of the order.

Salman Irshad is also a PSL TTF who somehow gets a game.

Its just jobs for the boys and is only going to end up getting worse.

 

[Finisher]

Wahab Riaz's most expensive T20 spells:

0/61 (3 overs) – 2021
��/���� (�� ���������&#56832 – ����������
2/54 (4 overs) – 2021
0/52 (4 overs) – 2021
0/51 (3 overs) – 2020
0/51 (4 overs) – 2021

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big boost for Peshawar Zalmi with Liam Livingstone now on his way to Pakistan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL7?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL7</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1490398994966720512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Big boost for Peshawar Zalmi with Liam Livingstone now on his way to Pakistan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL7?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL7</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1490398994966720512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Team Peshawar Zalmi reached Lahore.

Liam Livingstone has arrived in Lahore and will join the Peshawar Zalmi squad after 3 days of isolation #PSL7

 

[Titan24]

When your core still includes Kamran Akmal, Wahab then surely you are not doing something right.

Hassan after his heroic performance for CP as an inspiring leader who made them defend the QAE title from nowhere and being the top wicket taker in that and 2nd highest for PZ made a case for himself being the captain of PZ but, PZ preferred almost 10 years older Wahab. Yes being loyal to players who were with you from the start is fine but, you should know when to transition ahead.

There is not a single local player in the preferred PZ XI who is anywhere his peak. Kamran and Wahab are past their best (rather were year or two ago), Haider is still developing and same is the case with Qadir and other tons of fast bowlers in the PZ squad. Malik is performing so wont say much but, you cant have 3 players in late 30s (early 40s) as your core. Malik atleast is still was considered good enough to play international T20Is while other two are not even in the radar.

Arshad Iqbal who has been improving decently (Was really good in QAE), did a decent job for KK in last two seasons has warmed the bench for half of the tournament.

 

[shamaan]

I feel PZ will end up at 4th position. They are poor but KK & QG are worst. I expect Zazai to have few good days and win them some games. As a cricket fan, i am disappointed with Haider. He needs to move to a franchise which can groom him. In PZ everyone is just playing to collect paycheck especially retired players like Wahab, Malik, Akmal.

QG didn't have the foreign players avaliable now they do they will proberly get the 4th position.

 

[shamaan]

Karachi and Peshawar are the two weakest teams.

 

[MenInG]

Peshawar Zalmi - Wahab Riaz: “The Karachi-leg didn’t go out as planned and we were not able to play to the best of our abilities. However, Peshawar Zalmi has always fought its way through in the HBL PSL and as always we have enough depth, class and experience in our squad for a turnaround in the Lahore-leg.

“Our first aim in Lahore would be to register victories and ensure qualification in the play-offs. As we proved last year, once we are in the play-offs we become as dangerous and capable a side as any. Zalmi has a history of appearing in the HBL PSL finals regularly and this year we are as determined as ever to find a place in the final and repeat our 2017 success which we achieved at the Gaddafi Stadium.

 

[MenInG]

James Foster - PZ Coach

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 55.000%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/x9bo9p" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

 

[BunnyRabbit]

They arguably had a much worse squad in 2019, but this team has no fight in them. Last year they won a few matches that were undecided till the last over, and galvanised well enough to reach the finals.

But this year, it seems like they have no batting plans and their batters look like deer caught in headlights.

Shoaib Malik has been the only one who sort of keeps up with the ante. Everyone else just playing for themselves or just failing.

 

[Saj]

Look lethargic and almost as if they aren't bothered.

I thought their squad needed a major overhaul at the end of PSL6 and perhaps that is what they should have done.

Look very flat with too many players who are over the hill.

 

[MenInG]

Batting order- what's the point of holding back Cutting and Rutherford?

 

[cricketerB94]

Unlike KK, they have a good squad, but they are not playing the right players. Their two main match winners last season were TKC and Zazai, but I don't know why they are not able to place them in the playing 11. They are relying too much on Haider in the top order, who needs a serious break from T20 cricket. They should play this team going forward, until the end of their PSL 7 campaign:

Zazai
Talat
Tom K Cadmore
Malik
M Haris (wk)
Livingstone
Rutherford
Wahab
Usman Qadir
Arshad Iqbal
M Umar

Full bowing options: Wahab, Qadir, Iqbal, Umar, Livingstone.
Part-time bowling options: Talat, Malik.

Talat is an accumulator type player and just like Babar and Rizwan and any accumulator, he will mostly fail in the middle order, so he needs to be tried as opener. Should be a much better choice than Haider and Akmal when you have Zazai at other end.

 

[Savak]

The inclusion of Kamran Akmal in the team let alone playing eleven is the biggest proof of corruption in Pakistan Cricket. No other country in the world allows such an ordinary player to blackmail them into selection.

 

[Major]

The inclusion of Kamran Akmal in the team let alone playing eleven is the biggest proof of corruption in Pakistan Cricket. No other country in the world allows such an ordinary player to blackmail them into selection.

how is this corruption? did he pay money for the position?

 

[Savak]

how is this corruption? did he pay money for the position?

He cried in the media and threw his toys out of the pram, I refuse to play for such a pittance. He emotionally blackmailed the Franchise into selecting him and giving him more money behind the scenes. The sooner we get rid of the entitled Akmal clan from Pakistan Cricket, the better it will be.

 

[Savak]

Am reading online. Darren Sammy had a three year contract with Peshawar Zalmi which ended last year. PZ requested him to come to Pakistan, second leg as a mentor but he showed no interest this time. He's clearly decided to move on, he doesn't want to be bound to Javed Afridi forever

 

[DRsohail]

They are investing more on celebrities rather than cricket.

 

[UP]

They deserve to lose every game when clowns like Akmal blackmail and play.

 

[Major]

He cried in the media and threw his toys out of the pram, I refuse to play for such a pittance. He emotionally blackmailed the Franchise into selecting him and giving him more money behind the scenes. The sooner we get rid of the entitled Akmal clan from Pakistan Cricket, the better it will be.

1. This isnt corruption

2. He blackmailed no one. Pesharwar Zalmi were going to select him either way, his issue was salary group nothing else.

 

[Savak]

Good recovery by them this season especially considering their foreign player went missing or didn't fire. Wahab and Malik are absolutely crucial to their chances. However they need to seriously think about the next season because some of their players i.e. Wahab, Malik are on their last legs.

 

[Rana]

They have an outside chance now if Muhammad Harris fires

Their batting order is all over the place

 

[Rana]

Zazai
Harris
Talat
Haider
Malik
Cutting
Amad
Wahab
Left arm spinner who played today
Arshad
Anyone

 

[Maher96]

PZ have not been at the their best, but managed to get through to the Play offs.

Everything will go out the window and the best team
On the day will win.

Zazai
Harris
Haider
Malik
Talat
Cutting
Ghulam
New foreign player
Iqbal
Wahab
Salman Irshad

 

[MenInG]

More problems for Zalmi as per press report:

Peshawar Zalmi played their last group stage game on Monday against Peshawar Zalmi which saw the Wahab-led team win the Super Over.

Following the match, sources revealed that Zalmi camp has once again been hit with the Covid-19 as three members have tested positive.

The three members include players and a coaching staff member; the players to have tested positive include all-rounder Ben Cutting and leg-spinner Usman Qadir.

The South African legendary batter Hashim Amla, who is Zalmi's team mentor, has also been reported to have contracted the virus.

According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) protocols, members to have tested positive will have to isolate themselves for seven days.

This means that both the players are going to miss the playoffs due to the protocols and will be available if Peshawar Zalmi qualify for the final of the HBL PSL 2022.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Covid issues for Peshawar Zalmi ahead of the PSL play-offs with Usman Qadir and Ben Cutting testing positive <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PSL7?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PSL7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/SajSadiqCricket/status/1496118766123499524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[shamaan]

Zazia
Haris
Yasir Khan
Malik
Talat
Haider Ali
Ammad butt
Wahab
Ghullam
Arshad Iqbal
Salman Irshad

 

[MenInG]

Hashim Amla also negative and will be in PZ dug-out tonight

 

[MenInG]

Wahab Riaz "Peshawar Zalmi is always underrated. I think Zalmi has played the best cricket across all of the Pakistan Super League tournaments. We have played in 4 finals & reached the play-offs in all 7 tournaments & it's been the team to watch"

Wahab Riaz "we were missing some overseas players at the start. Then we lost some overseas players due to Covid and some were unwell and not ok with the bubble. But credit to our local players who performed very well & they showed how much talent there is in Pakistan"

Wahab Riaz "look at the way Shoaib Malik has led from the front. He has made a major difference not only in batting but also fielding. He gives his all and it shows just how hungry he is to succeed & he's a great example to the younger players"

 

[Major]

Zalmi makes it to play offs only because in the past best 4 out of 5 made it and even now then best 4 out of 6 make it easily.

They never pick good players from the draft and are always fielding bits and pieces. You can enter the play offs like that but cant win a tournament

 

[Savak]

They need to move on from Wahab. He cost them in many games this season. You can't have a captain who fails to lead by example