APL 2018: Match 10, Kandahar Knights vs Paktia Panthers Preview: Bottom-ranked Knights take on the high-flying panthers

The Knights have been failing to find good rhythm despite having some big names in T20 cricket.

Published - 11 Oct 2018, 19:40 IST | Updated - 11 Oct 2018, 19:40 IST

3 Min Read

Things have not gone pretty smoothly for Kandahar Knights, who are still straining in search of a win in the Afghanistan Premier League 2018. Led by Afghanistan’s national side skipper Asghar Afghan, the side has been failing to find good rhythm despite having some big names in T20 cricket.

The Panthers on the other side are on a great run, which should make them firm favorites to take the two points. But one thing that everyone loves about T20 cricket is its unpredictability, which certainly puts the Knights somewhat in contention to register their first win.

The APL has already produced some high-quality cricket in the first five days, raising all the expectations which surrounded the tournament. Asghar Afghan and his side will be desperate to make things happen and kick-start their tournament as time flies by very soon in tournaments like these and there’s not much time left for the group stages to end.

Playing Combinations

Kandahar Knights

Paul Stirling and Brendon McCullum’s explosive nature at the top is something the Knights will be banking on heavily. They have decent experience in the middle order as with the presence of skipper Asghar Afghan, Kevin O’Brien and Najibullah Zadran. Tymal Mills will lead the bowling attack and will be accompanied by UAE’s medium pacer Sayed Shirzad and local left-arm spinner Amir Hamza.

Probable XI: Brendon McCullum, Paul Stirling, Karim Sadiq (wk), Asghar Afghan (c), Karim Janat, Kevin O Brien, Najibullah Zadran, Tymal Mills/Taskin Ahmed, Amir Hamza, Sayed Shirzad, Waqar Salamkheil

Paktia Panthers

Skipper Shahzad will once again open the innings alongside Ihsanullah, with Cameron Delport, Sikandar Raza, and Samiullah Shenwari forming the middle order. They also have Shahid Afridi who can be used as a floater. The bowling unit looks pretty solid as well and the likes of Afridi, Zia-ur-Rehman, Yamin Ahmadzai, and Isuru Udana form a formidable bowling lineup.

Probable XI: Mohammad Shahzad (c & wk), Ihsanullah Janat, Cameron Delport, Sikandar Raza, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Samiullah Shenwari, Shahid Afridi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Isuru Udana, Yamin Ahmadzai, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi

Focus will be on

Asghar Afghan (Kandahar Knights)

High time for one of the most charismatic figures in Afghanistan cricket to lead the Knights from the front. Asghar Afghan chipped in with a couple of good knocks thus far but has failed to take his side over the line on all occasions. He would be keen to do that in the coming games more often to ensure his side makes it to the top 4.

Mohammad Shahzad (Paktia Panthers)

Talking about leaders stepping up for the side and steering them from the front, Mohammad Shahzad has been doing a pretty amazing job thus far. He leads the run-scoring charts as it stands and will be eager to pull out some more good knocks to help the Panthers finish at the helm of the table, which seems a likely outcome at this point in time.