In the 20th match of the Pak T20 League 2021, Islamabad United are up against table-toppers Lahore Qalandars at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday evening.
After losing their first match since the resumption of the league, Islamabad United returned to winning ways by beating bottom-placed Quetta Gladiators by 10 wickets in their last match. Colin Munro’s brilliance with the bat and a collective effort from the bowling line-up saw them jump to 2nd place in the standings, with 4 wins in their 6 matches. A win here will get them close to the playoff spot. One big loss will be the absence of Hasan Ali, who withdrew from the tournament due to personal reasons.
Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars have started the second leg brilliantly with 2 wins on the trot. One of those victories came against Islamabad United in a close game. Their last win came against Peshawar Zalmi by 10 runs, courtesy of Tim David’s unbeaten knock and Rashid Khan’s brilliance with the ball. Lahore’s top-order has failed to get going in both the matches so far and will need to come up with an improved showing if they are to beat Islamabad for the second time in five days.
With two valuable points and a potential first place in the standings up for grabs, expect a thrilling battle in Abu Dhabi to start this doubleheader Sunday.
Match Details
- Match: Islamabad United vs. Lahore Qalandars, Match 20
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Jun. 13, 2021, at 6:30 PM IST/5 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Islamabad United
Usman Khuwaja, Colin Munro, Rohail Nazir (WK), Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan (C), Asif Ali, Mohammad Musa, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Wasim, Akif Javed
Lahore Qalandars
Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akthar (C), Muhammad Faizan, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (WK), Tim David, Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal
Pitch & Weather Report
The weather is expected to be clear in Abu Dhabi during the match. The temperature will be around 36 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is on the slower side. Combined with a large outfield, scoring will be a big challenge for both sides. The pacers should get some swing and bounce early on, while spinners should get the ball to turn and grip. The average first-innings score in the last five games played here has been 164 runs.
Chasing seems to be the trend in the tournament. With the pitch not likely to change much during the game, expect the captain winning the toss to opt to field first. A score of around 180 runs should be a competitive one here.
Top Fantasy Picks
Islamabad United
- Usman Khwaja played the perfect supporting role to Colin Munro's madness in the previous match. He made 40 runs off 27 balls to help his side secure a 10-wicket win. He does not look like a usual power-hitter but is highly effective in this format.
- Shadab Khan is a good all-round player for Islamabad United. He is effective with the ball and can hit some clean shots coming in the middle order. He has scored 39 runs and picked up 4 wickets at an economy of 8.45 in the tournament so far.
- Mohammad Wasim is the highest wicket taker for Islamabad United this season, with 6 wickets at an average of 23.16 and an economy rate of 6.31. He was brilliant with the ball in the last match, taking 2 for 12 in his 4-over spell against Quetta.
Lahore Qalandars
- Fakhar Zaman is the second-highest run scorer for Lahore Qalandars, with 199 runs at an average of 39.8 and a strike rate of 132.66. He has not delivered to his standards in the last two matches, making just 10 runs. He will be hoping for a big innings here.
- James Faulkner has been a quality addition to the Lahore squad for the UAE leg. Since the season restarted, the Australian all-rounder has picked up 5 wickets and scored 22 runs in two matches. His best figures of 3 for 22 came against the same team two games ago.
- Rashid Khan showed exactly why he is so highly rated in world cricket, especially in the T20 format. He has been the main man for his side with consecutive match-winning performances in the last two games. He is fresh from his first 5-wicket haul in T20 against the Zalmi.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeepers: B Dunk, R Nazir
- Batsmen: U Khwaja, F Zaman, T David
- All-rounders: H Talat, S Khan, J Faulkner
- Bowlers: M Wasim, R Khan, S Afridi
- Captain: S Afridi/R Khan
- Vice Captain: B Dunk/F Zaman
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play fantasy cricket matches. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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