Peshawar Zalmi faces Multan Sultans in Pakistan Super League (PSL) play Monday needing a victory to bolster their playoff aspirations. The match, set at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, holds importance for Zalmi in the tournament standings.
Peshawar Zalmi sits fifth on the league table, having secured six points from seven matches with a record of three wins and four losses. Multan Sultans, conversely, have been eliminated from playoff contention, holding just one win against seven defeats in their eight games.
The history between the two teams in the PSL shows Multan Sultans with an overall advantage, winning 11 of 17 encounters. However, Peshawar Zalmi holds the edge in the most recent five games, winning three to the Sultans' two. A past matchup saw Peshawar Zalmi defeat Multan Sultans in PSL 10, chasing a low target set by the Sultans Match Report.
Recent form favors Zalmi. They won their previous match against Islamabad United, successfully chasing 143 with Babar Azam anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 53. Earlier in the season, Ali Raza took four wickets for Zalmi against the Sultans Ali Raza's Performance.
Multan Sultans suffered a heavy 87-run loss in their last outing against Karachi Kings, struggling both with the ball and in their chase of 205. Their batting lineup was bowled out for 117. Mohammad Rizwan leads the Sultans' batting this season, averaging 69 with good starts consistently.
The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium has favored bowlers, particularly pacers, with an average first innings score around 158 this season. Teams winning the toss have often opted to field first, potentially anticipating dew later in the evening.
Key players for Peshawar Zalmi include captain Babar Azam, who has shown improved form recently, scoring multiple half-centuries in his last four innings Babar Azam's Recent Form. Opener Saim Ayub and middle-order batter Maaz Sadaqat also featured in Zalmi's recent win. Mitchell Owen has opened for Zalmi in recent games Mitchell Owen News.
For Multan Sultans, Mohammad Rizwan is the main presence at the top. The team will need contributions from other batters like Yasir Khan and Usman Khan to post a competitive total if they bat first.
The match is forecast to have cloudy conditions with a low chance of rain. Peshawar Zalmi is favored to win the match, according to betting markets Match Prediction.
