PSL 2023 match preview: Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators

Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2023 PSL

What's the match?

Peshawar Zalmi take on Quetta Gladiators in the next match of PSL8.

When is it taking place?

The match is scheduled to start at 7pm local time (2pm GMT) on Wednesday, March 8.

Where is the match being played?

The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi will play host to this fixture.

Who's got the form?

Peshawar Zalmi took a big step towards securing a spot in the knockout stages after completing a 35-run win over Lahore Qalandars on Tuesday, just the second time the defending champions have been beaten in PSL8. Zalmi have now won back-to-back matches for the first time this season and have four wins from seven matches.

As a result of Zalmi's win, Quetta Gladiators' playoff hopes are hanging by a thread - they are four points behind Zalmi and only have two matches left to play. Furthermore, their net run rate is -1.344 - the worst in the league. The Gladiators have not had a good season, winning just twice in eight matches, but did pick up two points against Karachi Kings on Monday.

When the two sides met in February, Peshawar Zalmi won by four wickets.

What's the key match-up?

Peshawar Zalmi piled on the runs against Lahore Qalandars, posting 207 from 19.3 overs. However, it was quite telling that only three players - Saim Ayub (68 off 36), Babar Azam (50 off 41), and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (36 off 16) - passed 20 with the bat. Haseebullah Khan, who scored 12 runs, was the only other player to reach double figures.

It's been a trend for Zalmi throughout the season, with Kohler-Cadmore and Azam the only players to score more than 200 runs throughout PSL8.

If Quetta Gladiators want to keep their faint hopes of reaching the playoffs alive, they need to take a couple of early wickets because beyond the top four, Zalmi are vulnerable. That, however, is easier said than done when none of your team's bowlers have taken more than 10 wickets this season.

Saim Ayub and Babar Azam will be key wickets for the Gladiators [Farooq Naeem/Getty Images]

What is the team news?

Ayub was promoted to opening the batting for Peshawar Zalmi against Lahore Qalandars and it immediately paid off - both he and partner Azam scored half-centuries. Having won their past two matches, they are unlikely to alter their XI.

Jason Roy is expected to return to the Quetta Gladiators line-up after missing a number of matches to take part in England's ODI series against Bangladesh. If selected, he will likely replace Najibullah Zadran.

What are the squads?

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Haris, Aamir Jamal, Salman Irshad, Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Rovman Powell, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Danish Aziz, Arshad Iqbal, Saim Ayub, Usman Qadir, Suifyan Muqeem, Haseeb Ullah, Jimmy Neesham, Khurram Shahzad, Haris Sohail, Richard Gleeson (partial replacement for Rovman Powell), Peter Hatzoglou (partial replacement for Mujeeb ur Rahman), Shakib Al Hasan (available until February 26)

Quetta Gladiators: Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal, Will Smeed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naseem Shah, Odean Smith, Mohammad Hafeez, Umaid Asif, Muhammad Zahid, Abdul Bangalzai, Aimal Khan, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qais Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Dwaine Pretorius (partial replacement for Odean Smith), Will Jacks (partial replacement for Jason Roy), Nuwan Thushara (partial replacement for Naveen ul Haq)

*squads are for the overall competition and not specific to this match

What are the possible starting XIs?

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Haseebullah Khan, Rovman Powell, Aamer Jamal, Wahab Riaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Arshad Iqbal, Mujeeb ur Rahman

Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Omair Yousuf, Umar Akmal, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Dwaine Pretorius, Naveen-ul-Haq, Naseem Shah, Aimal Khan

What is the weather forecast?

Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-twenties are expected in Rawalpindi.

Martin Guptill scored a half-century for Quetta Gladiators against Karachi Kings [Aamir Qureshi/Getty Images]

What are the odds?

Peshawar Zalmi are the favourites with odds of 4/6 while Quetta Gladiators are available at 13/10.

What's the prediction?

Peshawar Zalmi are on a roll and should be too strong for the Gladiators. Zalmi win.

Where can I watch the game?

Cricket fans in Pakistan will be able to watch PSL8 on A Sports, PTV Sports and TEN Sports on TV. Streamed matches will be available on Daraz App, tapmadTV and Tamasha.

Viewers around the world can watch the action live on Fox Sports (Australia), Sony (South Asia outside Pakistan), Willow TV (North America), Flow Sports (Caribbean), Sky Sports (United Kingdom), Sky Sport (New Zealand), Super Sport (sub-Saharan Africa) and, Etisalat and STARZPLAY (Mena).