PSL 2018, Match 16: Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans – Match Predictions

After a day of break, the PSL action is all set to resume tonight as Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans will grace the stage at the Dubai International Stadium. While Multan is leading the proceedings in terms of the no. of points, Peshawar is sitting at no. 3.

Realistically, there is not too much of difference between the two teams at the moment. Both have won 3 out of their 5 games so far, but Peshawar has lost two, while Multan has lost only one, the other one of their games was washed out from which they got one point and it’s because of that one point that they are ahead of Peshawar at the moment.

A win in this game can power Peshawar to the no. 1 position in the table which they will be pretty keen for. While for Multan, it will be about adding a couple of more points and enhancing their grip over the top position that they already have.

Probable nature of the pitch

Very rarely does Dubai produce wickets which are ideal for the shortest format of the game. There is just not enough pace and bounce for the batsmen to pick the length and hit it on the up. The spinners and the slower bowlers take the center-stage and the batsmen have to milk the bowling rather than try and smash it.

And such kind of pitches actually keeps getting worse for stroke play as the match progresses. Even though it’s only a 20-over match, the surface still gets that much slower in the second innings and playing your strokes under the scoreboard pressure proves to be a real tall order later in the match. So bat-first is the right advice to the captains if they win the toss.

Playing Combination

Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi didn’t have their captain Darren Sammy available in the last match as he was ruled out with an ankle injury. However, they didn’t miss him much as Mohammad Hafeez led the side brilliantly in his absence and guided the team to their third victory of the season. If Sammy is not available, Hafeez will be in charge again and the Zalmi will go with an unchanged XI.

The team management might not want to rush Sammy into action considering how vital a player he is for the team and they might need him more in the business end of the tournament. However, having said that, if Sammy is 100% fit, he will play and in that scenario, Sabbir Rahman might have to make way for him.

Predicted XI: Tamim Iqbal, Kamran Akmal (WK), Dwayne Smith, Mohammad Hafeez, Sabbir Rahman/Darren Sammy, Khalid Usman, Liam Dawson, Wahab Riaz, Umaid Asif, Sameen Gul, Hasan Ali

Multan Sultans

Multan Sultans handed Quetta Gladiators an absolute thumping in the previous game by first bundling them out at a meager total and then chasing it down losing with utmost easy losing just one wicket in the process.

They had a bit of a break in momentum as they had lost their third game in the tournament and the fourth one got abandoned. However, with that performance against Quetta the other evening, they have their campaign back on track and now they will like to maintain the momentum all the way through.

While Multan’s batting looks mighty on paper, it’s actually their bowling which has been setting the game up for them by putting on consistently good shows. There is so much of variety there with three left-arm quicks, two hit the deck ones and a classic swing bowler, to go with the wily wrist spin of Imran Tahir.

The 5th bowler quota is a slight concern, but if the specialist bowlers do enough damage, it makes that part a tad easier as the captain can sneak in those 4 overs conveniently.

Predicted XI: Kumar Sangakkara, Ahmed Shehzad, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik (C), Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, Sohail Tanvir, Saif Badar, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir

Probable Top Performers

Liam Dawson (Peshawar Zalmi) | Darren Bravo (Multan Sultans)

Head to Head

Matches – 1, Peshawar Zalmi– 0, Multan Sultans – 1

The timing of the match: 09:30 pm IST

Broadcast Details

TV – D Sport

The prediction is for the Multan Sultans to beat the Peshawar Zalmi in this match.