Squad Review: Peshawar Zalmi
Peshawar Zalmi is a team in HBL PSL that likes to experiment. Zalmi has had a great time in the 7 editions of the league but their last outing was not so impressive. But this time there has been a massive change in the setup with the addition of red hot batter Babar Azam. The trade from Karachi Kings has led to Zalmi giving Babar the throne of the team as well as replacing Wahab Riaz from the role. However, Babar is not the only change Peshawar has made. Let’s take a look at the squad of Peshawar Zalmi.
Babar will obviously be leading the team of Peshawar on the field. Azam has previously been accused of playing for personal goals due to his lower strike rates but the franchise of Peshawar thinks differently. Babar would also be looking to get in sync with the pitch as he has not produced a lot of runs in Australia during the world cup but is certainly an impactful player for any team and the fans of Zalmi will be glued to TV screens when he will come to bat.
Rovman Powell is a clean hitter of the ball and Zalmi might have had that in mind when they picked him. Although Powell is not the only hitter Zalmi has, Rajapksa from Sri Lanka who played the match-winning knock against Pakistan in the final of Asia cup is also in the squad. In the middle Zalmi has opted for Tom Cohler Cadmore and the veteran Haris Sohail. But the world is excited to watch Saim Ayub who Quetta saw a glimpse of in the exhibition match when he played his signature no-look shot. Mohammad Haris has earned great respect for his aggressive approach in the shortest format and he will most probably be opening for Zalmi. Sherfane Rutherford is another foreign pick for Zalmi to strengthen the power hitting.
Among the bowlers, Wahab Riaz is leading the lot. Arshad Iqbal is also included in the squad with the Malinga-inspired style of Salman Irshad. Ammer Jamal will be ready with his spikes for the call to play. The one player I am looking forward to is Jimmy Neesham who loves the game. The Kiwi cricketer is an excellent all-rounder who is expected to bring stability to the side.
Overall Peshawar Zalmi promises to be a side that will challenge the opposition. The batting looks quite lengthy. The spin department is strong, especially with the addition of Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Although, the fast bowling sector seems a bit rusty. The word “rusty” is used to ensure that the bowlers are talented but a bit out of form with Riaz and inconsistent Iqbal. But Zalmi has always come out on top with their bowling and it seems that they will give great confidence to players.
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