Get ready for match 12 in the 2021 Pakistan Super League with The Cricketer's match preview...
What’s the match?
Islamabad United take on Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League .
When is it taking place?
The game is scheduled for 7pm PST (2pm GMT) on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.
Where is the match being played?
This game will take place in the national stadium in Karachi, where all PSL 6 matches are being staged until March 7. At that point the tournament moves to Lahore.
This is due to Covid-19 protocols being implemented by tournament organisers.
Who’s got the form?
Islamabad United have won two of their three matches so far in this year's competition.
A three-wicket victory over Multan Sultans in their opening fixture of the campaign was followed by another successful chase, this time against Karachi Kings.
Islamabad watched Sharjeel Khan smash a 59-ball 105 as Karachi posted 196 for 3, but then made short work of the target and romped home with five wickets and five balls to spare.
United's excellent start to the season came to an abrupt end on Saturday when, after being asked to bat first for the first time in 2021, they were skittled for 118 by Peshawar Zalmi, who knocked off the runs in 17.1 overs.
Quetta, meanwhile, have had a miserable start to the term and are winless after three matches.
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Who to watch?
Hasan Ali has been in excellent form with the ball for Islamabad.
The Pakistan international - ranked 212th in the men's T20 Player Index - has four wickets at 16.5 in the competition so far but it is Hasan's economy rate of 5.5 which is particularly impressive.
Only Mohammad Nawaz of Quetta has been more economical with the ball in the tournament to date.
Any major team news?
Quetta are without Chris Gayle, who has returned to the Caribbean to play for West Indies against Sri Lanka. Faf du Plessis has replaced the legendary batsman in the Gladiators' line-up.
Gladiators dropped Tom Banton from the top of the order for their defeat by Peshawar Zalmi after two failures with the bat. His replacement, Cameron Delport, was dismissed cheaply in the loss to Zalmi. Quetta will have to decide which of the pair to go with. Dale Steyn is back in contention after arriving late to the PSL following a family engagement.
Islamabad might tweak their top order after a pair of misfiring innings - against Karachi and Multan. Captain Shadab Khan critcised his batsmen following their defeat last time out.
He said: “Our top order isn’t performing the way it should’ve been and doing the same mistake. The same was the case today, we are not learning from our mistakes.
“We couldn’t execute our plans well and made mistakes. We will have to learn from them and try not to repeat the mistakes in the next games.”
Are fans allowed in?
Yes, PSL 6 matches are now operating at 50 per cent capacity after numbers were increased, with stringent Covid-19 precautionary measures in place. Fans will have to wear a mask in the stands, and groups may only consist of members of one household, for example.
Plans for the matches in Lahore, where the tournament moves in March, have yet to be confirmed. Organisers hope for the play-offs to be played in front of full capacity crowds.
Who are the umpires?
Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires)
Asif Yaqoob (third umpire)
Imran Jawed (fourth umpire)
Ali Naqvi (match referee)
Full PSL umpire appointments - click here
Faf du Plessis
What’s the prediction?
All signs point to Islamabad, but there is quality in the Gladiators batting line-up. Much of this season's PSL has been heavily influenced by who wins the toss, and don't bet against this match following that pattern.
What are the odds?
Unsurprisingly, the bookies make Islamabad the 4/5 favourites, with Quetta available at even money.
PSL TEAM GUIDES
Where can I watch the game?
Sky Sports will broadcast the tournament in the UK.
In Pakistan, the competition will be available on PTV Sports.
Sony Pictures Network have the rights in India.
Sony Pictures Network will also provide coverage throughout South Asia, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Sky Sport will televise the tournament in New Zealand while SuperSport hold the rights in South Africa and the sub-Saharan region.
Willow TV have all the action for viewers in the United States and Canada. In the Caribbean, PSL 6 will be available on Flow Sports.
Streaming service Tapmad TV have the rights in Australia, MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and the rest of the world with coverage available online and via the app.
What are the squads?
Islamabad United: Alex Hales, Asif Ali, Fawad Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Zafar Gohar, Hassan Ali, Paul Stirling, Lewis Gregory, Phil Salt, Rohail Nazir, Ali Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Ahmed Saifi Abdullah, Zeeshan Zameer
Quetta Gladiators: Anwar Ali, Azam Khan, Ben Cutting, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Zahid Mahmood, Chris Gayle, Dale Steyn, Tom Banton, Usman Khan Shinwari, Cameron Delport, Qais Ahmad, Abdul Nasir, Saim Ayub, Arish Ali Khan, Usman Khan, Faf du Plessis (partial replacement for Chris Gayle), Hassan Khan (partial replacement for Dale Steyn)
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