The Pakistan Super League season eight (PSL8) campaigns for Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators are not going as planned, as they are on the verge of getting eliminated from the tournament.

Both sides are currently sitting at the bottom of the points table with Karachi having four points from seven games, while Quetta have only two after playing five matches in the tournament.

Karachi Kings

For Karachi, going into the playoffs is going to be tough. They not only need to win their remaining three games, which will take them to 10 points but also need the top-four sides to lose their games to have a better chance.

So far they won only two games in the tournament, against Multan Sultans and defending champions Lahore Qalandars. Both victories came at the National Bank Cricket Arena. The only positive they have is a better run rate, which is 0.565.

Speaking to the media after Karachi’s defeat against Peshawar on Wednesday, Mattew Wade believes they are still in the competition due to a better net run rate.

“We have lost most of the games by minimal margins. Our run rate is probably keeping us in the tournament at the moment,” said Wade. “We will get another opportunity in a few days. We have to bounce back and win all the next three games. If we manage to win all remaining games, we will be in for the next round,” he added.

Here is Karachi Kings’ tournament performance so far:

Quetta Gladiators

For the third season in a row, Quetta are struggling to find the touch. They slipped to the bottom of the table after four defeats by hefty margins. Their only victory came against Karachi Kings.

The scenario to book a place in the playoffs is very simple, as they need to win their remaining five games.

Former all-rounder Shahid Afridi also criticised the below-par show from Quetta Gladiators stating that they don’t have the strategy. “This strategy is nowhere to be seen in the game of Quetta Gladiators,” he said.

One of the main reasons for their poor show in the PSL is that they are lacking key players like last year. Wanindu Hasaranga was their platinum pick PSL draft and they built the team around him, but the player was denied a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the tournament by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board.

Here is Quetta Gladiators’ tournament performance so far:

As far as other teams are concerned, they are in a pole position to make it through to the playoffs. Defending champions Lahore Qalandars are leading the chart with eight points on a better net run rate than Multan Sultans, who have the same number of points and are in the second spot.

Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi share six points but they sit third and fourth respectively due to a better net run rate.