The business end of the Pakistan Super League season 8 will kick off tonight with a qualifier between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans.
Both teams have reached the stage after finishing first and second on the PSL 8 table which ensures that the second-best team tonight will get another shot at making the final on Friday.
The Qalandars defeated the Sultans in both their meetings this season but Mohammad Rizwan’s men have plenty of quality in their side to topple the defending champions which should make for an entertaining contest.
Here is all you need to know ahead of the game.
Multan Sultans Lahore Qalandars PSL qualifier record:
Multan has played a PSL qualifier three times before, winning twice and losing once.
They lost their very first qualifier to Karachi Kings in PSL 5 before beating Islamabad United in PSL 6 and Lahore Qalandars in PSL 7.
Qalandars have played only a single qualifier which they lost to Multan last year before rebounding and beating the Sultans in the final.
Where and when will the game take place?
Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the contest at 7:00 PM (PKT).
Form:
Qalandars have won three of their past five games but are coming off a detrimental loss to Karachi Kings in their final game.
The Sultans have won just twice in the past five matches but their wins have come on the trot and they look in fine fettle heading into the playoffs.
Players to watch:
The match is logically a battle between Lahore’s bowling and Multan’s batting once again.
Sultans’ players are in red-hot form with the bat. Usman Khan and Rilee Rossouw broke the fastest hundred marks on consecutive nights while Mohammad Rizwan remains as crucial as ever.
Tim David and Kieron Pollard give them firepower later down the order while Ihsanullah and Abbas Afridi remain threats with the ball.
Lahore’s bowling battery of Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf remains unmatched.
Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique and Sam Billings remain capable with the bat while Sikandar Raza and David Wiese are excellent options in both departments.
Where to watch the Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars PSL qualifier?
The match will be aired live on Ten Sports, PTV Sports, and A Sports in Pakistan while live streaming is available through Daraz App, Tapmad TV, and Jazz Tamasha.
All things PSL 8 can be found here. For more on Lahore Qalandars visit here For more on Multan Sultans visit here.
