Lahore Qalandars will take on Peshawar Zalmi in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday.
In their previous match, the Qalandars showcased their willingness to make bold decisions by omitting Abdullah Shafique, a standout performer in the last two PSL seasons, along with the renowned Carlos Brathwaite, noted for his impressive T20 record.
Top-order batter Sahibzada Farhan has already notched up three half-centuries in the competition. Supported by in-form players like Rassie van der Dussen and Fakhar Zaman, the team appears poised to overcome their recent struggles.
In the bowling department, Haris Rauf, who is unlikely to play Sunday's encounter, and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi stand out as two of the most formidable pace bowlers in this format. With such a talented squad, the Qalandars are anticipated to reverse their recent downturn in performance.
Peshawar Zalmi clinched their first victory of the tournament in the previous game, surprising the previously unbeaten Multan Sultans in the PSL 9. However, similar to their upcoming opponents, questions arise about how a lineup with such talent has already suffered two losses.
In terms of batting, the attention is drawn to captain Babar Azam, the youthful Haseebullah Khan, the powerful Rovman Powell, and the promising Saim Ayub, all of whom are expected to play pivotal roles in this match.
On the bowling front, Luke Wood shone by earning the Player of the Match Award against Sultans, establishing himself as one of the top bowlers in the current tournament.
Predicted Lineups
Lahore Qalandars: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Rassie van der Dussen, Ahsan Hafeez, Jahandad Khan, Shai Hope (wk), Sikandar Raza, George Linde, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan
Peshawar Zalmi: Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (c), Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Haris (wk), Paul Walter, Rovman Powell, Asif Ali, Luke Wood, Naveen-ul-Haq, Arif Yaqoob, Salman Irshad
Prediction:
Babar Azam's men put up a great fight in their last match against the unbeaten Multan side and they would be willing to give their all to register yet another win in the tournament.
