LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) concluded with Islamabad United emerging as the winner of season nine. United set the record by clinching the trophy for the third time after achieving the feats in 2016 and 2018.
The PSL 9 season turns out to be a rollercoaster ride for Lahore Qalandars. The defending champions found themselves plummeting to the bottom of the table after putting up a disappointing show, leaving the fans in disbelief.
Despite the comfort of their home turf at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the Qalandars failed to put up a good show. Instead, they stumbled through the tournament and secured just one victory in 10 games. They tasted the only victory after losing six matches on the trot.
Led by left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, Lahore’s squad failed to live up to expectations, raising questions about what went wrong for a team that once dominated the league for two years.
As the tournament progressed, the reasons behind Lahore’s dismal performance became clearer. A lack of cohesion within the team, tactical errors on the field and other factors contributed to their downfall.
Let’s have a look at the key points that led to the dismal performance of the defending champions.
Inconsistent team combination
One of the main factors that contributed to the defeats of Lahore Qalandars was inconsistent team selection.
The frequent changes to the squad highlighted Qalandars’ struggle to find cohesion and establish a settled lineup. They failed to bring balance to the team.
Players like Shai Hope and Abdullah Shafique are capable of demonstrating their skills at the top of the order and could potentially offer a solution to Lahore’s batting woes.
Poor captaincy by Shaheen Afridi
Lahore Qalandars’ poor run at the PSL 9 has put a question mark on the captaincy of Shaheen Afridi.
Afridi’s decision-making has come under scrutiny, with questionable bowling changes and frequent reshuffle in the batting order.