Lights, camera, action! Now that Ridha and Ikhlas have been filtered out of the playoffs, it's only fitting to say that we'll finally witness a 1 vs 2 seed matchup for the first time in tier two history. Previous years have allowed the frail to slither in, but not this year. Haya and Zuhd is a heavenly matchup for the cup; but who'll take the championship?
Face to Face Record:
Zuhd wins 7-6 (Oct. 17)
Zuhd - Haya tie game, 3-3 (Dec. 5)
What's To Celebrate?
Haya has been stellar upfront and have catalogued at least 5 players that pocket stats in double digits. It's ridiculous, but true. There isn't any shortage of scoring with the Misty Marauders as Waseem Bangash, Mehmed Rizwanovic and Ali Murtaza lead the charge upfront. Coach K's philosophy of "loading up on forwards" is a success story in its own but is their backend equally proficient in sustaining pressure? On the other hand, Haya's power play is absolutely ace, they instantly punish their opponents so Zuhd better be cognizant and refrain from penalties.
Zuhd may not be lateral with Haya offensively but their defence is instrumental in beating Haya. GM Fahad Malik and Naeem Akhtar are the strongest defensive duo in tier two and for this sole reason Zuhd's defence is a paramount feature for the purple shirts. Not to mention that Amir Baig will grandly "welcome" anyone trying to straddle the blue line. Regardless, there's more shrewd plays being orchestrated from the backend and that's resulted to a better transition game. Zuhd's defence is stronger at suffocating the opposition and hemming them in their own zone.
What's To Frown At?
Although their defence has been stable, the grey shirt's defensive unit has shown some stains when correlated to Zuhd. There's a tendency to play with the ball excessively, and that fact mumbles when you compare both team's goals against average. Fuzail Thakur, Zahid Merchant and Humza Hussain have been decent but now it's time to make the simple plays out, or else purple will bite you!
Zuhd has been anemic upfront (in comparison to Haya), so there'll be some motivation in crafting more production henceforward. Shabil Ahmed, Abdu Sharkawy and Faisal Mehboob have been strong investors in the team's cogent offence, and will be on their tip toes in attempts of matching Haya's canons. If all else fails, the purple shirts might need an offensive lift from the defence. Did anyone say Naeem Akhtar?
Regardless, this series is all about Haya's offence versus Zuhd's defence. The fact that the previous meetings between the two teams playing close matches makes this series even more captivating.
On The Prowl:
Arif Khan has been a lethal weapon for Haya. The dangerous dangler has pocketed a healthy 13 points and will look to be a threatening individual for any Zuhd d-man.
Usamah Rao has elevated his game to the next level and has been a revelation this season. Watch for Usamah to wear down Haya's defence and digest any scoring chances. Surely, Rao will be on Haya's radar.
Unsung Heros:
Humza Ali has discovered his groove and has turned quite a few heads with his relentless efforts. His locus on the stats reflects the tremendous effort Humza has put forth for his squad this year.
Huzaifa Manjara has been a sufficient contributor for the Purple Platoons. From assisting upfront to even playing in net, the Bollywood wannabe is craving in making an impact to his team's fortunes this season.
Keepers of the Netted Nests:
If there's one advantage Rizwan Ali has over Yusuf Kapoor is experience. The veteran goaltender has more stories than Walt Disney and is playing at his peak this season. Can he surge his squad to claiming the championships?
Unlike other seasons, Yusuf Kapoor has been firm this time and has flared a lot of confidence within the pipes. The young lad has had decent armoury in front of him but hasn't been that busy; quite frankly cause his team has been kicking butts. Yusuf, your work is cut out for you this time!
