KARACHI: Karachi Kings head coach Johan Botha has expressed his faith in young batter Haider Ali to become a game-changer for his side in the upcoming Pakistan Super League season 8
Haider, the latest addition to the Karachi Kings’ squad, is one of the most promising talents in the PSL and has already proved his mettle in the earlier seasons playing for Peshawar Zalmi.
“I think our biggest player and the player we probably need to get the most out of is [Haider] Ali,” he told PCB digital on Saturday.
“When he was with [Peshawar] Zalmi in the first couple of years, he was excellent. I thought this guy could be one of the best T20 players in the world.”
Botha disclosed that the Karachi Kings’ management was trying to get the most out of the 22-year-old’s enormous potential and refine his abilities”
“Hopefully, we can get the best out of Haider Ali and if he has a really good tournament, we’ll be good as a team. He is dangerous as a player and can take the game away from the opposition. The management is looking to get the best out of him.” he said
Talking about the Karachi Kings’ road map to ace the upcoming PSL edition, Botha argued that the team would first try to gain momentum through home matches.
“We’ve got to try and start well in Karachi. That is obviously a bit of an advantage, I would say, to play at home. First up, you want to start well at home.” he said.
“I suppose the crowds will be full again as the Covid pandemic is over. We have to make the most of starting at home, starting well and get some early momentum. That is what you want to do in a tournament like this. You need to get momentum early.”
“I hope that with the international players we’ve picked, plus having retained eight local players, we have got a strong enough squad to start well, then keep that momentum and get us into the playoffs. And that will put us two or three games away from winning a tournament.”
Moreover, Karachi Kings’ head coach claimed that his side had the best experienced T20 players and seasoned power hitters in the squad who could steer the team back on a winning track.
“We have a really experienced squad. We have probably gone for the most experience in this game that I’ve seen, and we’ve got to bank on that. We have to hope that those guys perform for us on the big stage and can get this team back to winning ways.” he maintained
“We can fire at the top with the bat. In a tournament like this, your top six have to fire, get the runs, and get it quick enough or you are always going to struggle.”
It is pertinent to mention here that PSL season 8 will kick off on February 13 in Multan with a grand ceremony followed by the opening match between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans.
Karachi Kings, on the other hand, will play their first match on February 14 against Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi at National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.
