KARACHI: Both sides are “equally good” and have a “50-50 chance” at winning, Pakistani legendary bowler Wasim Akram said on Tuesday in exclusive comments to Arab News ahead of Peshawar Zalmi taking on Karachi Kings in the second match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) cricket tournament later this evening.

Each team has won a PSL title before, though Kings may have a psychological advantage since the contest will be held on home ground at the National Stadium, Karachi. Zalmi have an impeccable track record of qualifying for playoffs in every PSL season while the Kings failed to impress with their performance last year by only recording one victory in 10 matches.

This year, another change is that Zalmi will be captained by Babar Azam during the eighth season of the PSL, with the competition’s all-time leading run-scorer moving from Karachi Kings last year where he has played 66 of his 68 PSL matches.

“For me, it’s a 50-50 chance. The team that is mentally stronger will emerge the victor,” Akram, popularly called the ‘Sultan of Swing,’ said in an exclusive pre-match analysis interview for Arab News, commenting on Tuesday evening’s game between Zalmi and Karachi. 

“It’s another big match today, Karachi vs Peshawar,” said Akram, who is the cricket director for Karachi Kings, adding that he hoped Karachi would emerge the winner.

“But both the sides are equally very good ... It’s a positive rivalry between Karachi and Peshawar which the public will enjoy a lot,” he said.

Akram said he saw the Karachi pitch yesterday, Monday, and there was a bit of grass on it, which was a “good sign.”

“I don’t enjoy those pitches where bowlers get pummeled and hit for sixes over and over again,” he said.

In a post on Twitter, the Peshawar team welcomed foreign players to their Karachi camp, including Sri Lankan cricketer Bhanuka Rajapaksa who will make his debut for Zalmi tonight.

Peshawar Zalmi won the PSL championship in 2017 while Karachi Kings earned the title in 2020.