In the 13th match of the 2023 Pakistan Super League season, Quetta Gladiators will be up against Islamabad United. The fixture will be played at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Both teams have had poor starts to their campaign and this will hence be an extremely important fixture. Quetta Gladiators have lost three of their first four matches, and with only two points, they are placed at the very bottom of the standings.
On the other hand, Islamabad United has played only two matches so far, in which they have won one and lost the other game. With two points in their account as well, the two-time champions are placed fifth in the points table.
What Have They Done So Far?
Quetta Gladiators started their season on the worst note possible as they were bowled out for only 110 in the first match against Multan Sultans, before Mohammad Rizwan’s team chased the total down in just 13.3 overs. The second match against Karachi was the only instance when Sarfaraz Ahmed’s team looked in control, as they won the game by 6 runs.
But since then, the Gladiators have been subjected to back-to-back defeats. The third match saw Peshawar Zalmi handing them a four-wicket defeat, as they chased a 155-run target down in 18.3 overs. In the last match, Lahore Qalandars got a massive 63-run win against the 2019 champions.
Islamabad United faced Karachi Kings in their first match, where they bowled first and conceded 173 runs. However, they batted quite well and chased the total down in only 18.2 overs, while losing six wickets.
However, everything went wrong for Shadab Khan’s team in the last game against Multan Sultans. After conceding 190 runs while bowling first yet again, the two-time winners were bowled out for just 138 runs this time around.
Head to Head Record
The head-to-head records are inclined in favour of Quetta Gladiators, but only by a very slim margin. Sarfaraz’s team has won 8 of the previous 15 meetings against Islamabad United, while Shadab’s men have been victorious on 7 occasions.
The last meeting, which took place in February last year, saw Quetta getting a five-wicket win. Islamabad batted first and scored 199 runs, with Alex Hales and Faheem Ashraf scoring half-centuries, but the 2019 winners chased the total down in 19.4 overs. Jason Roy and Sarfaraz scored the fifties from their team.
Key Players
Martin Guptill (Quetta Gladiators): Batting has been a major concern for Quetta Gladiators this season, with many renowned names like Mohammad Hafeez and skipper Sarfaraz not delivering so far. Amongst them, New Zealand’s Martin Guptill has been an exception as he is currently leading the run-scoring charts for the team, having scored 151 runs at an average of 37.75.
After being dismissed for just 7 runs in the first match against Multan Sultans, he scored a superb 117 in the second match against Karachi Kings. The last two matches again did not work out well for him, but Guptill still remains the trump card of the Gladiators.
Colin Munro (Islamabad United): While playing for the Kiwis, Guptill has often formed brilliant opening stands with Colin Munro. But the two will be at loggerheads in this game, as like Guptill, Munro has also been in good nick for his franchise. He is currently the highest run-scorer of Islamabad United, with 89 runs at an average of 44.50.
The left-handed batter had a fantastic start as he scored 58 runs in only 28 balls in the first match against Karachi Kings, where he hit five fours and four sixes as well. In the last match against Multan Sultans, Munro smashed 31 runs.
Predicted Playing XIs
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed ©, Iftikhar Ahmed, Odean Smith, Abdul Bangalzai, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Qais Ahmad.
Islamabad United: Paul Stirling, Hassan Nawaz, Colin Munro, Rassie van der Dussen, Azam Khan, Shadab Khan ©, Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, Abrar Ahmed, Rumman Raees, Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Prediction
While Quetta Gladiators might be ahead on head-to-head records, their performance this season has not been up to the mark. With Islamabad United showing their potential in the first match, we have predicted Shadab’s team to win this match.