Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings Preview & Betting Tips - Gladiators' Playoff Push Unfazed by Weather

By Nikhil Kalro

04 Mar 2024

Nikhil Kalro 04 Mar 2024

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Quetta Gladiators potentially missed an extra point due to weather but currently sit at No. 2 with four wins in six games
Karachi Kings have been inconsistent, have just two wins and no batters in the top five run charts
Khawaja Nafay, a newly discovered talent for Gladiators, shows promising performance with impressive aggressive batting

Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators (Getty Images)

Rain and hailstorms in Rawalpindi potentially robbed Quetta Gladiators of an extra point, but their good deeds from early in the season mean they’re well-primed for the playoffs.

Currently, at No. 2 with four wins in six games, Gladiators run into fifth-placed Karachi Kings as the league stages enter the home stretch.

Kings have just two wins in six and have been plagued by inconsistency in both the batting and bowling departments, having struggled to fire in unison.

They have no batters in the top five in the run charts. In the lower middle order, Kieron Pollard is their highest run-getter so far, with 196 runs in five innings.

That is quite revealing; perhaps explains how much the top order has faltered for Pollard to have had these many opportunities to get in and score. Shoaib Malik comes just outside the top 10, at No. 11 with 177 runs.

That they’re still reliant on two grand talismans at the sunset of their careers doesn’t quite show their younger group in a good light.

They certainly will expect more from their local Pakistani batters as well as some of the more established international stars like Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz.

Gladiators have found themselves in sticky situations at different times but have found someone to rescue them, like Sherfane Rutherford did in their previous completed game, where he shellacked a 31-ball 58 not out to turn the tables on Kings when the two sides last met.

They will likely have Tabraiz Shamsi back from an illness that forced him out of a previous game. It will make them even more dangerous.

They’ve unearthed a new star in Khawaja Nafay, who smashed an unbeaten 31-ball 60 to take down the Lahore Qalandars sensationally. His onslaught against Shaheen Afridi, in particular, made for thrilling viewing.

Having first been picked in the BPL on the back of a few Facebook videos, he’s made a name for himself in his home country.

A quirk of fate or whatever, it’s his good fortune that he was picked by the Gladiators, who, over the years, have borne the fruits of investing in the young crop of homegrown Pakistan players.

Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings Tips & Predictions

Pollard should be an absolute pick in your XIs for the value he offers with bat and ball. That he comes in on the back of raging form also makes him a superb value addition.

Shan Masood has had an ordinary tournament, but come crunch moments, big players stand up. Masood certainly has the pedigree to overturn this wretched form – he’s made just 112 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 104.46.

For the Gladiators, Jason Roy is waiting to burst into good form and won’t be a bad punt. On the results front, this will be a close fight to the finish. Punt on Kings to give you more value for money, but if you want a safe bet, Gladiators will be a no-brainer.