Written by Rick John Henry for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
Lahore Lions vs Perth Scorchers | Tuesday 30 September | Bangalore | 12:30
With the Champions League T20 semi-finalists all but decided, one match still looms with important playoff permutations. The Lahore Lions, Pakistan’s only entrant into the tournament, who were forced to navigate an awkward qualifying group, need to win against the Perth Scorchers and do so with the intention of bettering the run-rate of Group A’s second-placed Chennai Super Kings. If all goes to plan, Lahore could sneak into the semi-finals and knock out one of the most powerful T20 sides on the planet. They do, however, face a Perth Scorchers side that, although out of contention for a place in the knockout stages, will fight tooth-and-nail for a positive end to their tournament.
To Win
Lahore Lions 8/10
Tie 35/1
Perth Scorchers 21/20
Lahore Lions
Pakistan’s T20 hopefuls have a very difficult task ahead of them, but one that is by no means impossible. Lahore Lions, if batting first, must win by a margin of 47 runs of more in order to knock out the Chennai Super Kings. If Lahore find themselves chasing, they must surpass the Scorchers’ total in 14.2 overs to improve their run-rate sufficiently. It seems daunting, but the Lions will draw inspiration from this year’s IPL. Both the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders managed a similar equation against the Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively. Both did it while chasing, which may lead Lahore to opt for that scenario if possible. In T20 cricket, sides have more control over what happens with the bat than they do with the ball.
The Lions have showed fight and determination to reach this stage of the tournament. Reduced to 34/4 in their last outing against the Dolphins, Umar Akmal orchestrated a stunning recovery and finished unbeaten with 73 from 45 balls, catapulting the score to 164/5 after twenty overs. A Saad Nasim cameo of 43 from 26 deliveries added to the gutsy display with the bat. The Lions’ top order possesses fearsome Pakistani internationals in the form of Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal. Akmal has been the star of the competition for Lahore, averaging 81.50 after five innings. In the bowling department, they will use the spinners to suffocate the Scorchers but also have dangerous seam options. Aizaz Cheema has ten wickets in five matches, while Wahab Riaz has been a difficult customer to get away. The Lions did suffer a drawback in Hafeez being one in a long line of spinners reported for a suspect action. He is clear to play here, though another report will see him banned for the duration of the tournament.
Perth Scorchers
Despite losing out on a spot in the knockout stages, the Big Bash League champions are still a formidable side. Their lack of success so far boils down to a lack of nerve, something the Lahore Lions will no doubt be looking to exploit. In their previous outing, the Scorchers lost against the Chennai Super Kings by allowing a flurry of runs in the death overs. The IPL giants doubled their score in the last five overs, having been restricted and, at times, tied down by the Scorchers’ spinners. Brad Hogg, in particular, proved very difficult to get away on a sluggish Bangalore strip. Once the Super Kings began to tuck into the death bowlers, Yasir Arafat completely lost the plot, delivering length balls and being dispatched for 27 in one over. The slow surface did not suit the Scorchers’ batsmen. The top order didn’t hang around for long and no-one could muster more than 30 to push the game deeper. Mitchell Marsh is undoubtedly the most dangerous of the Scorchers’ batsmen and the side will need some more runs from him if they hope to leave the tournament with a blast.
Venue
The Scorchers find themselves back at Bangalore, a wicket that has slowed up dramatically since the start of the tournament. The spinners on both ends will be important here, the pitch sticky and very difficult for stroke play with pace off the ball. How batsmen deal with the spinners and take advantage of the seamers will make the difference. No rain is forecast for the morning.
VERDICT: Lahore Lions 8/10
The Lions have a side made up of campaigners well-versed in tournament cricket. Pakistan are fearsome competitors in any T20 World Cup and seem to find a way for success in situations that seem impossible. While it remains to be seen whether they can beat the run rate, I’m fairly confident that the Lahore Lions will find enough to beat their opponents.
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