During the 17th match of the ongoing eighth edition of Pakistan Super League between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings in Rawalpindi last night, Peshawar Zalmi beat Karachi Kings by 24 runs to win their third match of the season.
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Yet to win two consecutive matches this season, Kings ended up ending on the losing side for the fourth time. First team to play seven PSL 8 matches, Karachi find themselves at the penultimate position after winning only three matches thus far.
Although Quetta Gladiators are below them on the last position, the same could change eventually as they have played only five matches till now.
Having said that, KK are not entirely out of contention to qualify for PSL 8 knockouts.
How can Karachi Kings qualify for PSL 2023 knockouts?
First things first, Karachi will have to ensure that they win all their remaining three matches (against Islamabad United, Gladiators and Lahore Qalandars) to not be relying on results of other matches. Set to be played on Monday in Rawalpindi, PSL 2023 Match 22 between QG and KK could eliminate one of these two teams.
Since teams have the leeway of qualifying even with five league stage wins in a six-team tournament such as the PSL, Kings can finish among the Top Four teams assuming they win three matches in a row.
ALSO READ: Highest individual score in PSL 2023
It is worth mentioning that United had qualified for the playoffs with four wins under their belt in the seventh season of the PSL. Furthermore, during the sixth season of the competition in 2021, three out of the Top Four teams had won five matches each during the league phase. In such a scenario, however, NRR (Net Run Rate) will become a topmost priority for all these teams.
UPDATE: Karachi Kings are all but out of PSL 8 after losing their sixth match of the season on March 3, 2023.
Which team is likely to finish at the top of the table in PSL 2023?
Defending champions Lahore Qalandars have won four and lost one out of their five matches to be at the top of the points table at the moment. PSL 7 runners-up Multan Sultans are at the second position on the back of four wins and two losses in their first six matches.
Considering how well both Qalandars and Sultans have played till now, it would be quite astonishing if neither of these two teams is able to finish at the top of the points table this season.
