Alex Hales set to miss Islamabad United's upcoming PSL 2024 match against Peshawar Zalmi

Former England international batter Alex Hales, who led the English batting order towards their 2nd ICC T20 World Cup title 2022 on Australian soil, is currently on duty for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League season 9, and will be missing United’s upcoming clash against Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi, 2 days later at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

Alex Hales has been a key player for the Islamabad-based outfit which also has some star players like Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan, Colin Munro, Tom Curran, Muhammad Waseem, Imad Wasim, and Shadab Khan (C) among others. Alongside reigning champions Lahore Qalandars, the Islamabad-based outfit are the only team to have won the PSL title twice in their history.

Their first title came during the inaugural season itself while their 2nd title arrived two years later in 2018. Since then they haven’t reached the finals but with the type of squad they have for the 9th edition, it is looking likely that they will end a 6-year wait at last.

Alex Hales out because of prior personal commitments

The 2022 T20 World Cup winner who played out a man-of-the-match winning knock against India in the semi-final, had a prior personal commitment that Islamabad United management knew about. Therefore, Alex Hales’ absence was pre-meditated and it might not really cause a problem for them in their preparation against the Zalmi who are placed 5th in the points table.

Islamabad United on the contrary are 3rd in the league table with 2 points from 3 matches in which they lost twice and won once. Alex Hales has played all 3 matches for United and on an honest note, he hasn’t been that impactful. Although these are early days but Hales is yet to score a half-century or bat closer to the type of lethal Hales we know about.

His highest score until now is 35 from those 3 matches, so his absence won’t make much of a difference. Alex Hales will remain unavailable for only the clash against Peshawar on 26 February.

If we talk about the points table of the PSL 9 until now then runners-up from last season Multan Sultans are currently heading the points table with 6 points from 4 matches while Quetta Gladiators are currently the only team in the league to have a 100% win record and they are placed 2nd only because of a poor run rate.

Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Peshawar Zalmi, and Lahore Qalandars are 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th, all tied on 2 points.

Islamabad United squad for PSL 9