LAH vs ISL Prediction: Who will win today's PSL 2021 match?
The 2021 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) resumes on June 8 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi as the Lahore Qalandars take on Islamabad United.
14 matches of PSL 2021 were played before the bio-bubble was compromised, leading to the indefinite suspension of the tournament. 20 matches remain in the competition, which has seen a replacement draft conducted to identify new personnel.
For the Qalandars, who are placed fourth on the PSL 2021 points table with three wins from four games, four players miss out on the resumption. David Wiese, Joe Denly, Tom Abell and Samit Patil are not part of the franchise, with James Faulkner, Tim David, Callum Ferguson and Seekuge Prasanna signed as replacements.
Islamabad United have lost three players - Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory and Phil Salt - while Usman Khawaja is the only overseas replacement in the side. Shadab Khab's side have also won three out of their four PSL 2021 games so far, and are placed third owing to a slightly better net run rate.
Months after their previous PSL 2021 matches, both the Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United will need some time to get accustomed to the new conditions in Abu Dhabi. However, we are in for a cracking contest, with several international and domestic stars in action.
PSL 2021: LAH vs ISL Match Prediction
Despite starting their PSL 2021 campaigns in decent fashion, both teams will be wary of falling behind in the race for the playoff spots.
The Qalandars' batting lineup is their biggest strength. Fakhar Zaman is the team's leading run-scorer in PSL 2021 with 189 runs from four games at an average of 63 and a strike rate of 143.18, while Mohammad Hafeez follows close behind with 181 runs at an average of 90.5 and a strike rate of 175.72.
The rest of the batting order, including franchise league globetrotter Ben Dunk and Pakistan's Sohail Akhtar, hasn't spent much time in the middle. And although the loss of Wiese and Patel might hit them hard, they should have the firepower in all departments to cope with anything Islamabad might throw at them.
The Qalandars bowling attack looks formidable with the acquisition of Faulkner. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, both of whom are top-class pacers, have a combined 13 wickets in PSL 2021 so far. But their real trump card is Afghanistan mystery spinner Rashid Khan, who has played two games and will be keen on making an impact like he always does.
Islamabad, on the other hand, are in massive trouble due to the absence of Hales. The English opener notched up 139 runs in four matches at an average of 34.75 and a strike rate of 171.6, with the next highest run-scorer in the franchise being Hussain Talat (75).
Although Khawaja is certainly a smart signing who will bolster the batting, and Colin Munro adds serious firepower at the top of the order, Islamabad need to play out of their skins. Asif Ali and Rohail Nazir, who have faced a total of only 68 balls in PSL 2021, will want to get their eye in.
Islamabad have had many bowlers contribute so far in PSL 2021. Hasan Ali is the team's leading wicket-taker with six scalps at an excellent economy rate of 5.56, and he is hounded by Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Wasim (4 each). Captain Shadab Khan will want to improve upon his numbers with the ball as the leader of a spin attack that has flattered to deceive.
A competitive contest beckons in Abu Dhabi, with the likely deciding factor being how quickly the teams alter the gameplan that served them well in Karachi. It's next to impossible to pick a winner for a game that signals the resumption of PSL 2021 after many months, especially with both teams having new personnel and strategies on a different track.
But if we had to predict one team to come out on top, it would be the Qalandars. Not only do they have a well-rounded playing XI, but they also seem better equipped to deal with the changes to their roster.
Prediction: Qalandars to win