Thursday, 11 September 2014

Tier Two Previews - Week One - September 12th


Zuhd vs Ikhlas
GM Fahad Malik and his band of Purple Platoons will share the honour of banging heads with Ikhlas as both teams finally lift the veils off I-Slam's hallmark season. Endorsed with an overkill of speedy wonders that can hit the twine; will Zuhd be able to demolish Ikhlas's defensive fortress? Though the purple shirts weigh heavily offensively, how has their drafting been compensated on defence? To me, the buck stops at GM Fahad Malik, Amir Baig and Farhan Siddiqui, so is this team's back end sufficient enough to rebuff Ikhlas's army? Huzaifa Manjara, Usamah Rao and Faisal Mehboob must lend their legs and display consistency when it comes to playing a two way game. Will Rizwan Ali be able to steal Zuhd their first win? 

Rookie GM Amir Multani makes his GM debut, and quite honestly, has the most defensive team in the league. So defensive that the origin of offence remains trivial. Drafting a powerhouse netminder like Khalid Mufti might've been an intelligent plot, but will this risk pay any dividends? Nonetheless, Ikhlas will be steadfast in making a fierce impression with their abundance of seasoned players. Expect Wajahat Khan and Adnan Siddiqui to shoulder most of the defensive responsibilities while Zuhair Fancy and Sajid Khan lead the offensive party. Can Ikhlas's formulated cast be able to vanquish game one? Will the Pathan's (Khan's) on this team churn out a victory or kabuli pilao (afghan pilaf dish)?

Player To Watch:
It's obvious that Sajid Khan will be in the limelight till the final buzzer. Known for his robust two way game, Khan will be an obvious hazard for Zuhd.

Burning Questions?
Which team will come on top at the end of the night?

Who's Hot?
No one yet...

Haya vs Ridha
In attempts to crafting a competitive roster, GM Kashif Taqiuddin has been an engaged individual post draft day. While showtime slowly creeps for the grey shirts, can notables like: Arif Khan, Ali Murtaza and Aazar Zafar make a splash for Haya? As tempting it is to treasure the positives of this team, the deficiencies remain screaming for aid, most notably the thin blue line. Humza Hussain and Zahid Merchant will not be enough! Can Haya hold its own in the back end versus Ridha? Yusuf Kapoor looks to turn over another leaf this season as the young goalie visualizes a better year. Can Kapoor bare the raft of a Ridha's onslaught of forwards? 

The only solace for any GM is to start the season off on a winning note. GM Zaid Mahmood has that same yearning, and to have a stud goaltender like Yasir Hussain manning the pipes is nothing short of welcoming. Presently, the offensive cast is candidly hoisted on Farooq Sani and Imran Lakhanpal, let's just hope there's more firepower than that for the Orangemen. Ibrahim Abhoghodieh and Faheem Kotwal will be on their feet in attempts to cut goaltender Yasir Hussain's work to the bare skeleton. Do the orange shirts have the potential to win their first game? Will Tariq Hathout and Shaan Abbasi be able to provide a preeminent role against Haya?

Player To Watch:
Regarded as one of the stalwart tenders of tier two, all eyes will be plastered on Yasir Hussain. Will Yas get this squad in the win column?

Burning Questions?
Which team will come on top at the end of the night?

Who's Hot?


No one yet...

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