Daily Times

LAHORE: Alex Hales has made a surprise return to the Pakistan Super League VII to help an injury-battered Islamabad United progress to the final. Islamabad will take on Peshawar Zalmi in the first eliminator at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday (today), a game Hales is now expected to be available for. His return will be a massive boost to the two-time champions, who have been hit especially hard by injuries and absences this season. Hales had left the PSL just over a week ago, citing bubble fatigue as the main reason for his withdrawal. But a couple of amendments to the existing health and safety protocols, approved on Wednesday, have allowed Hales to return and play immediately without the need to isolate beforehand once he arrives. Hales will have to clear a Covid-19 test on arrival.

Islamabad, though, will be happiest, given how crucial Hales was to their fortunes this season. Despite not playing three games, Hales is Islamabad’s top-scorer this season, averaging over 40 at a strike rate of 156.44. Along with Paul Stirling — who had to leave for national duty with Ireland — his starts meant Islamabad were among the highest-scoring sides in the Powerplay earlier in the season. But Hales’ abrupt departure was part of a string of changes to what would’ve been their first-choice XI; Stirling and Rahmanullah Gurbaz both had to leave for international duty; Shadab Khan, the captain, has been injured; Colin Munro is injured; Zeeshan Zameer, their promising young fast bowler, is also out for the season. That has impacted Islamabad performances, the franchise stuttering into the playoffs with three defeats in their last four games (the last two especially comprehensive). Even with a close-to-full strength side early on though Islamabad had won three and lost three of their first six games.