KARACHI:  Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz has said he expects a “tough game” against two-time Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions Islamabad United as the teams lock horns in the first PSL Eliminator today, Thursday.  
The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm tonight.  
In its seventh year, the PSL has become a phenomenal success in the cricket-obsessed nation of 220 million.
Speaking to Arab News, Riaz said Islamabad United were one of the best sides ane he expected a “high-pressure game” against them.  
Both teams have faced each other twice in this year’s HBL PSL7, with both winning one match each: Islamabad defeated Peshawar by 9 wickets while Peshawar won the next match against Islamabad by 10 runs.  
“It is going to be a tough game, Islamabad are one of the best sides and they are going to come hard at us but it will be a good high-pressure game and I think the team which will absorb the pressure [better] will be the winners,” Riaz said.  
Peshawar, one of the most popular PSL franchises, has qualified for the final four times in total, a record in itself. Zalmi won the trophy in the second edition of the tournament which took place in 2017. Peshawar Zalmi has also been the only PSL team that has qualified for the playoffs stage in every PSL, this time being no exception.
As far as Zalmi’s record for this year’s PSL goes, the “Yellow Storm” have won 6 of their 10 matches to secure 12 points. While they share the same number of points with Lahore Qalandars, the Riaz-led side has to face Islamabad in the eliminator due to its comparatively poor run rate.  
An impressive run rate helped Qalandars secure the second position on the points table, taking them to the qualifiers. Lahore will face the winners of today’s match in the second eliminator on Friday, the winner of which will face Multan Sultans in the final on Sunday.  
The Zalmi skipper has been the most successful PSL bowler, taking 103 wickets from 76 matches in all seven seasons. His nearest contenders are Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who have bagged 78 and 65 wickets, respectively.  
His performance in the Karachi leg was not up to the mark.  
“I think the major difference to my performance [occurred] when I came to Lahore,” he said. “It happens to a cricketer sometimes when you are out of form, but you need to peak at the right time.”
“I think I'm getting that confidence and most probably, it will work out in the playoffs and the final,” Wahab, who bowled a brilliant super over against Lahore on Monday, said.  
Similarly, it was the Lahore leg that provided much-needed momentum to Zalmi, which had performed poorly in Karachi matches. Peshawar had only won two of the five matches they played in Karachi. Zalmi picked up their games in the Lahore-leg of the tournament, losing only one of their five matches there. Riaz credited his team for this comeback.  
“I think credit goes to the team, the way the team has played” he said. “They were under pressure after [first] five games but when they came [in here] and played in Lahore, I think as a team we did really well,” he added, saying consistency had been the main reason for Zalmi’s success in Lahore.  
“We try to keep the same team every year so that it's easy to communicate, because it's only one month and you know your players, [especially the ones] who are your match winners,” he added.  
The Zalmi skipper showered praise on Muhammad Haris, who has earned praise from critics and fans alike for taking on bowlers confidently. Speaking of the batter, Riaz said Haris was a “very impactful player”.  
“This PSL is all about opportunities. And I think he has grabbed it with both hands and made a great contribution to the team,” he said.  
Speaking about the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia that will take place in October and November 2022, Riaz said his favorite team to lift the trophy are Pakistan.  
“Obviously, I’ll rate Pakistan as one of the best teams,” he said.  
He expressed his happiness at Australia’s upcoming tour of Pakistan, saying it will benefit the prospects of international cricket in Pakistan.  
“It is a great opportunity for the people of Pakistan and for Pakistan [the country]. After so long, an Australian side is coming to Pakistan. It’s a great initiative by the Pakistan Cricket Board to bring the Australian team to play here and it will really help the cause of Pakistan cricket in future.”