LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bowl first against Quetta Gladiators in the 17th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Quetta Gladiators will draw confidence from their comprehensive 80-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi in their season opener.
That dominant performance, which showcased Quetta’s all-round capabilities, gives them a psychological edge heading into today’s clash.
Quetta Gladiators have had a roller-coaster tournament thus far. After their emphatic start against Peshawar, they’ve failed to maintain consistency, particularly in their batting department.
Their recent narrow victory against Karachi Kings, however, where they defended a modest total of 142, has instilled fresh belief in the squad.
Captain Saud Shakeel’s form will be crucial at the top of the order, while Sri Lankan star Kusal Mendis and South African veteran Rilee Rossouw provide international experience. The bowling attack, spearheaded by the evergreen Mohammad Amir and complemented by the mystery spin of Abrar Ahmed, remains their strongest suit.
Peshawar Zalmi, meanwhile, have endured a difficult campaign, losing three of their four matches thus far.
Their sole victory – a commanding 120-run win over Multan Sultans – demonstrated their potential, but they’ve struggled to build momentum.
The yellow storm’s fortunes largely depend on their talismanic batsman Babar Azam, who has been consistent without being explosive.
The aggressive Mohammad Haris adds firepower in the middle order, while overseas pacers Luke Wood and Alzarri Joseph lead a bowling attack that has shown flashes of brilliance but lacks consistency in the death overs.
The contest presents an intriguing tactical battle between Quetta’s superior bowling attack and Peshawar’s top-heavy batting lineup.
Squads
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all platinum), Mohammad Haris, George Linde and Mohammad Ali (both diamond), Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana and Abdul Samad (all gold), Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufiyan Muqeem and Najibullah Zadran (all silver), Ali Raza and Maaz Sadaqat (both emerging), Mitchell Owen, Ahmed Daniyal, Alzarri Joseph and Ihsanullah (all supplementary).
Quetta Gladiators: Finn Allen, Faheem Ashraf and Mark Chapman (all platinum), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Rilee Rossouw (all diamond), Akeal Hossein, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Saud Shakeel (all gold), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Tariq, Haseebullah Khan and Khurram Shahzad (all silver), Kyle Jamieson and Hasan Nawaz (both emerging), Mohammad Zeeshan, Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis and Sean Abbott (all supplementary).
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