The 24th match of the 2023 edition of the Pakistan Super League will witness a clash between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United. The much-hyped game of cricket is scheduled to be played at the Pindi Club Ground in Rawalpindi. Multan and Islamabad are expected to give a tough fight to each other on Tuesday, March 07, as both teams have delivered wonderful performances in the tournament so far.
Multan Sultans are currently occupying second place in the points table behind Lahore Qalandars with eight points to their name from four wins and three losses. After a good run, the runner-up seems to have lost track as they are on a two-match losing streak. Batters need to bring their A-game to the fore as the last two games saw them scoring only 101 and 159 runs respectively in their allotted 20 overs.
As far as Islamabad United is concerned, they have also collected eight points so far in the Pakistan Super League but with four wins from three games. A lower net run rate has pushed the team to third place in the standings. The Shadab Khan-led side will be buzzing with confidence on Tuesday as they are coming after scoring a win against Karachi Kings in their last game.
What has happened so far?
Both Multan Sultans and Islamabad United have established themselves as strong teams in the Pakistan Super League. Sultans were denied a dream start to the competition as they suffered a loss at the hands of Lahore Qalandars by one run.
However, the team was quick to redeem itself with four back-to-back wins against the top teams. The team’s four-match winning streak was hampered due to a 66-run loss against Karachi Kings and they followed it up with a 21-run defeat against the Lahore Qalandars.
Islamabad United, on the other hand, has lost only two of their six league games. They were good in the initial games as they scored a win in three of the first four matches. United could not continue the momentum and ended up losing to Lahore Qalandars. However, they returned to winning ways in their last game by defeating Karachi Kings by six wickets.
Head to Head Record
Multan Sultans have an edge over Islamabad United in the head-to-head records
Islamabad United and Multan Sultans have given a tough fight to each other in the history of the Pakistan Super League. The two teams have collided with each other in a total of 12 games and the Sultans have won seven matches while the remaining five games saw the United scoring a victory.
The runner-up has won three of the last five games against Islamabad United with their most recent win coming up in the 2023 edition only by 52 runs.
Key Players
Azam Khan (Islamabad United)
For Islamabad United, Azam Khan will be the player to watch out for on Tuesday. The 24-year-old is currently the top performer for his team with the bat as he has collected 242 runs in six games at an average of 60.50.
Azam Khan won the player of the match award in Islamabad’s last game against Karachi Kings. The young rookie smacked not out 72 runs off just 41 balls to help his team chase 202 runs in 19.2 overs with ease.
Mohammad Rizwan (Multan Sultans)
Undoubtedly, Mohammad Rizwan will be the most crucial player for his team, Multan Sultans, on Tuesday. He is currently the top run-scorer in the T20 extravaganza, with a total of 388 runs to his name in seven games at an average of 77.60.
The skipper Rizwan was decent in his team’s last game against Lahore Qalandars. As the Sultans were chasing 181 runs in 20 overs, the opening batter came up with a knock of 30 runs.
Predicted Playing XIs
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Rassie van der Dussen, Shadab Khan ©, Azam Khan, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, Hasan Ali, Mubasir Khan, Rumman Raees
Multan Sultans: Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan ©, Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Khushdil Shah, Kieron Pollard, Usama Mir, Akeal Hosein, Abbas Afridi, Amad Butt, Ihsanullah
Prediction
Multan Sultans will walk into the Tuesday evening match of the Pakistan Super League as favorites when they will lock horns with Islamabad United. The two teams have performed similarly in the tournament so far, with four wins to their name and eight points.
However, the Sultans can have a psychological edge as they defeated Islamabad United in their last game against each other by a massive 52 runs. Also, the runner-up has a more decorated squad as compared to their opponents.