The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine enters into decisive stage as Multan Sultans face Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier 1 on March 14 at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.
The top teams clash in an exciting battle for supremacy that will also determine the first finalist of an action-packed PSL season.
The Sultans were the first team to reach the tournament playoffs with seven wins in their ten league stage matches, before being joined by the Zalmi franchise who won six out of their ten games.
The Sultans showcased their class and pedigree with a commanding performance against former champions Quetta Gladiators in their last league game of PSL 2024.
Led by half-centuries from skipper Mohammad Rizwan (69) and Johnson Charles (53), they posted an imposing first-innings total of 185/4 in their 20 overs.
They then produced a devastating effort with the ball, dismissing the Gladiators for just 106 inside 16 overs after young spinner Usama Mir (3/22) and left-arm pacer David Willey (3/22) claimed six wickets between them, tearing through the opposition batting line-up.
In contrast to the Sultans, Zalmi's league campaign ended with a tight game against the Karachi Kings, whom they narrowly defeated by 2 runs in a low-scoring thriller. Despite a somewhat unconvincing effort with the bat, the Peshawar side managed to post just 147/6 in their 20 overs before their bowlers rallied to restrict the Kings to 145/5.
Captain Babar Azam crafted a composed fifty against his former PSL franchise, while West Indies power-hitter Rovman Powell struck a crucial 30* off just 18 deliveries to ensure the Zalmi franchise had a competitive total to defend.
During the second innings, Luke Wood (1/24), Naveen Ul Haq (2/22), and opener Saim Ayub (1/18) emerged as the heroes for their team as they managed to keep the game alive until the 20th over, where pacer Aamer Jamal (1/38) successfully defended 17 runs.
Pitch Report
The wicket has favoured the bowlers thus far at the National Bank Cricket Stadium in Karachi, but with it being a knockout game, a new surface is anticipated to be prepared.
In previous knockout matches, the bounce at the venue has consistently been reliable, and the pace has been adequate for strokes to regularly clear the boundary ropes.
Probable Playing XIs
Multan Sultans: Yasir Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Usman Khan, Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali
Peshawar Zalmi: Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris (wk), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Haseebullah Khan, Rovman Powell, Aamer Jamal, Luke Wood, Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, Salman Irshad
Prediction
Zalmi defeated Sultans on both occasions in the league stage and with the form they are carrying, Babar Azam's men are expected to win and qualify for the final