Pakistan Super League 2020, Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi | Preview, predicted XIs, where and when to watch, and live stream details
The 27th match of this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) will see Multan Sultans take on Peshawar Zalmi for the second time in the tournament. Sultans have already qualified for the playoffs and will be looking to strengthen their position at the top while testing some bench strength while the Zalmi still need to win this one to confirm their spot.
Their previous encounter in this season turned out to be a one-sided affair as team Peshawar was bowled out for just 123 batting first, thanks to a great bowling performance by Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, and Mohammad Ilyas. Sultans' chase wasn’t too easy at first as they were 10-2 but two great innings from Rilee Rossouw and Khushdil Shah were all it took for the Men in Green to chase down the small total.
Multan’s batting has been stronger than any other team in the tournament as we’ve seen consistent performances from Moeen Ali, Shan Masood, Rilee Rossouw, and Zeeshan Ashraf.
Karachi’s pitch is likely to suit the batsmen and we could see one of those four men score a big score in front of a lively crowd.
Their bowling has been great so far this season and has helped them reach the playoffs before any other team. Imran Tahir, in particular, has been a true asset for the team, while the pacers Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, and Ilyas have been good throughout. Moeen Ali and Shahid Afridi have provided great assistance to the rest of the bowlers, and they will continue to do so on Karachi’s pitch just like before. Afridi’s home crowd will be behind him throughout and we could see him play a memorable innings in this match.
Peshawar is doing well so far and the change of captain hasn’t really hurt their overall performance too much. Wahab Riaz has been leading the side since Darren Sammy was moved out of the team and positioned as a Coach, and has done better than anyone would have thought.
Haider Ali from the Zalmi side has proven to be an outstanding young batsman and the entire nation is behind him to deliver in each and every match. Kamran Akmal and Liam Livingstone are the two other batsmen who have been shining bright for the team but need to score big to cement their positions. Shoaib Malik returned to form a couple of matches ago, which is great news for the side as they will bank on his calmness and experience in front of the strong Multan side.
Wahab Riaz has been the more consistent bowler for the Peshawar side thus far while Hasan Ali needs to improve a lot more and stop leaking runs at crucial stages. The inclusion of Carlos Brathwaite has given the team another handy bowler who can deliver a variety of deliveries. With Yasir Shah taking the role of the spin king in the team, Riaz has himself mentioned that he has more than enough bowlers to restrict any side from slipping away.
Also see – RCB 2020 team
While Peshawar had a rough game against the Lahore Qalandars in the previous match after their batsmen put up a big total, they will look to restrict the Sultans to cement their own position in the play-offs. Since this will be the final game for the Zalmi, they will need to win it to confirm their spot and give the other four teams something to fight about.
Match details
Tournament: Pakistan Super League Season 5, 2020
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
Date: 13th March 2020
Time: 7.00 PM PST onwards
Pitch report
Karachi has one of the most consistent pitches in the country that provides faster bowlers with some assistance and even bounce. The previous matches at this ground saw batsmen score some big totals as the even pace and bounce give them a chance to premeditate their shots.
With the final games set to light up the tournament and give us the four teams for the play-offs, there is no better place to host the matches than the largest stadium in the country. Expect a full house as fans of Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik will flock the stands to get a glimpse of their cricketing icons!
Predicted XIs
Multan Sultans: James Vince, Zeeshan Ashraf (Wicketkeeper), Shan Masood (Captain), Moeen Ali, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Muhammad Ilyas, Junaid Khan, and Imran Tahir.
Peshawar Zalmi: Tom Banton, Kamran Akmal (Wicketkeeper), Liam Livingstone, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Lewis Gregory, Carlos Brathwaite, Wahab Riaz (Captain), Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, and Rahat Ali.
Where to watch the matches in Pakistan?
Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi will be telecast LIVE on PTV Sports & Geo Super.
Live stream details
The live stream for Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi will be available on Cricingiff and Cricketgateway.