Multan Sultans will face Islamabad United in the 13th game of the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on 23rd April at Multan Cricket Stadium.
Match Preview:
Multan finally collected their first victory of the season when they defeated Lahore Qalandars by 33 runs in their recent outing at Multan Stadium. Batting first, Multan posted the highest total at the venue—228. Much credit goes to Yasir Khan, who replaced Shai Hope in the opening role and delivered impressively.
Josh Little also made his PSL debut and did quite well, taking one wicket and conceding just 37 runs. One man who has been consistently performing for the Sultans is Ubaid Shah. In the last outing, he took 3 wickets, and his pace and aggression have been the talk of the town.
The comeback of Usama Mir has also been a boost for the side, as he had struggled to make an impact in the first three games.
The Sultans’ batting looks strong with the return of Yasir Khan; they just need to bowl better and hit good areas if they want to get back to consistent winning ways. Heading into the back-to-back game, Multan will look to carry the winning momentum and build on it before it’s too late.
Talking about Islamabad United, the defending champions are on a roll and are yet to lose a game in this ongoing season. They have a balanced side—openers are scoring runs, the middle order is firing, the bowling unit looks settled, and Shadab Khan is back in form.
The only concern for United might be the inconsistent form of Azam Khan, who is yet to fire in this PSL and has made a few errors behind the stumps. The injury to Salman Agha is another worry, but reports suggest he will be fit and available soon.
So, for Islamabad, the plan would be to keep it simple and continue with the mantra that has worked well for them so far this tournament. This will be the second meeting between the two sides, as Islamabad had earlier beaten the Sultans convincingly by 47 runs.
Probable Playing XI:
Multan Sultans: Yasir Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Usman Khan, Ashton Turner, Kamran Ghulam, Michael Bracewell, David Willey, Iftikhar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Josh Little, Ubaid Shah.
Islamabad United: Sahibzada Farhan, Azam Khan (wk), Colin Munro, Haider Ali, Shadab Khan (c), Mohammad Nawaz, Jason Holder, Muhammad Shahzad, Imad Wasim, Ben Dwarshuis, Naseem Shah.
Pitch and weather report:
Early on, the pitch at Multan Cricket Stadium is primarily batting-friendly, with some assistance for spinners as the match goes on. Because of the potential for dew in evening games, teams frequently choose to chase. Here, a score of 170–180 is considered competitive.
As far as the current season is concerned, the venue has only hosted one game. Over 400 runs were scored in the game, making it a high-scoring contest. For this match, similar circumstances might be anticipated.
During the match, the weather will be clear. On the day of the match, temperatures are predicted to be approximately 31°C, with 35% humidity and a wind speed of 18.2 km/h. Moreover, there is a 10-kilometer view. Precipitation is not a possibility during the game.
Head-to-head record:
In their head-to-head encounters, Islamabad United and Multan Sultans have played a total of 17 matches. Islamabad United has emerged victorious in 9 matches, while Multan Sultans have won 8 matches.
Prediction:
Although Multan won their first game of the season last night, Islamabad United are still favourites to win the upcoming encounter of the tournament given how they are performing and still unbeaten.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan (TV): A Sports HD, PTV Sports
Pakistan (Live Streaming): tapmad, Tamasha, Daraz, myco, bogn
UK: Sky Sports, Geo News (Sky 734)
North America: Willow
Africa: SuperSport
MENA Region: myco
Bangladesh: T Sports
India (Linear TV): Sony Sports Network
India (Digital): FanCode
Sri Lanka & Afghanistan: Sony Sports Network
Rest of the World: Sports Central
