PSL 2022: Teams strive for balance amid unplanned departures, injuries

Lahore: PSL Teams strive to find the right combination amid the unplanned departure of international players and injuries, ARY News reported. 

The league stage of the Pakistan Super League has been completed and the playoffs are set to begin tomorrow.

But teams have been struggling to find the right squads due to the departure of many international players amid national duty and injuries.

Islamabad United’s Paul Stirling and Rehmanullah Gurbaz and Lahore Qalandars Rashid Khan had to leave the league mid-way due to national duty. English player Alex Hales from the IU also had to leave the tournament mid-way due to unannounced reasons.

Peshawar Zalmi’s all-rounder Liam Livingstone left due to an injury while Left-hander Sherfane Rutherford went back to the Caribbean amid the birth of his first child. Zalmi pacer Saqib Mahmood also left the league for national duty after playing two matches.

Zalmi’s player Tom Kohler-Cadmore from England also had to leave the league mid-way due to an injury and so did Lahore Qalander’s Ben Duckett. While Aussie player James Faulkner had left the league after a dispute over payment with the Pakistan cricket board(PCB).

Islamabad United has been the most affected by unplanned departures and injuries. IU captain Shadab Khan and young pacer Zeeshan Zameer were benched due to injuries.

Teams still have lots of resources to build their teams as the playoff stage starts tomorrow.

The formidable Multan Sultans is set to face Lahore Qalanders in qualifier 1 of the league on Wednesday, while Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United will be face-to-face in Eliminator 1 on Thursday.