Will Nahid Rana join Peshawar Zalmi for the playoffs?

Peshawar Zalmi are currently the only team to have reached the playoffs. They have been consistent with both bat and ball. Kusal Mendis and Babar Azam, Zalmi’s top-order batters, are leading the run-scorers’ charts, while spinner Sufiyan Muqeem has the most wickets in the competition so far.

Impact of Bangladesh pacers

While the numbers might not show it as clearly, Zalmi’s dominance at the top owes plenty to Bangladesh pacers Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana. The duo shared nine wickets between them, with Nahid contributing seven wickets in five games. Both pacers had to leave mid-season to join the national side for the ODI series against New Zealand.

Among the two, Shoriful has been named for the first two T20Is as well, though Bangladesh have rested Nahid Rana. Bangladesh chief selector Habibul Bashar said Nahid was excluded as he “needs the rest with the Test series (against Pakistan) coming up."

This could mean the board might not allow the pacer to return to the PSL for the playoffs, with the Test series against Pakistan set to begin on May 8, just days after the PSL final.

Zalmi’s backup options stepping up

Zalmi, for now, seem to have coped well in the two pacers’ absence. Mohammad Basit and Ali Raza, who replaced them, have delivered with the ball. Basit has taken six wickets in two games, while Ali has five in three.

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