5 Things Lahore Qalandars Must Do To Avoid Early Elimination In PSL 4

Lahore Qalandars ended up at the bottom of the points’ table during all three Pakistan Super League (PSL) seasons. Hence, they are yet to put up a performance that is worthy enough to allow them a place in the eliminators.

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Keeping their woeful performance in mind, here is a look at 5 things that Lahore Qalandars must do next season to turn the tide in their favor.

Make an Early Call on Aaqib Javed

Aaqib Javed’s performance as Director Cricket Operations and bowling consultant is bound to be reviewed by the franchise’s think tank and there is no doubt that he has very little choice but to share the blame for the debacle.

Nevertheless, Qalandars did show signs of improvement during the final leg and therefore, one school of thought is that it only makes sense to allow him one last season to prove his credentials for the position that he is holding at the moment.

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The other school of thought however, is that he has had enough opportunities and since Qalandars have nothing to lose they are better off looking for someone new. In such a case scenario the franchise’s adviser, Inzamam-ul-Haq (subject to Pakistan Cricket Board’s permission) can well be the front-runner to replace Aaqib.

Either way the Qalandars’ management should make an early call so that it allows enough time to their Director Cricket Operations to devise an appropriate plan and chalk-out a viable future strategy.

Let Go of McCullum

Brendon McCullum, is arguably one of the best captains that the world has seen in T20 cricket. Still, while leading the Qalandars’ in UAE conditions the former Kiwi wicket-keeper looked out of sorts both as a skipper and a batsman. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Qalandars are in need of someone else who knows how to respond to the challenge that slow wickets present.

Get Rid of Dead Wood

The franchise needs to remove dead wood and show the door to people like Sunil Narine, Sohail Khan and Umar Akmal etc. Not only did Qalandars enter the ongoing tournament with boys who lacked form but also with those who lacked the right attitude. Hence, they are better off doing away with unwanted individuals in their dressing room.

Arrive Early

Qalandars did look rusty during the initial part of the tournament where they suffered setbacks and hence, were never really able to recover to stage a comeback. Therefore, it would be advisable for them to arrive early for preparations the next time they participate in the tournament. Moreover, early arrivals also help in team bonding and thus, team building – something Qalandars definitely need to do before the next season.

Hire a Sports Psychologist

After being the worst side in all three editions, it is only obvious that Qalandars now have individuals who carry excess baggage. Moreover, we all witnessed Qalandars losing a few close games and it seemed like their boys could not hold their nerves when it mattered.

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Thus, hiring a sports psychologist can go a long way in allowing the unit the sort of stability it needs in the middle.