Get ready for the next game of the PSL 6 season with The Cricketer's match preview...
It’s a battle of the early strugglers with fifth-placed Multan Sultans facing winless Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League.
The game is scheduled for 7pm PST (2pm GMT) on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
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.
Neither side are in good form. Multan Sultans have won just one of their opening four fixtures – defeating Lahore Qalandars by seven wickets – and have lost every match where they have batted first. It’s a worrying time for Sultans who, since topping the table in PSL 5, have lost five of their last six matches.
Gladiators, meanwhile, have posted scores of 121, 178 and 198 in their opening three fixtures and been chased down every time. The 2019 champions take on fourth-placed Islamabad United 24 hours before their clash with Sultans and will be hoping to bring winning momentum into Wednesday’s (March 3) match.
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Although they lost against Karachi Kings in their last match, the ray of sunshine for Sultans was the return to form of Chris Lynn. The Australian, ranked 62nd in the T20 Player Index, had just two runs in three matches heading into the fixture but scored a quickfire 32 off 14 deliveries to show signs of his blistering Big Bash form.
With the ball, Carlos Brathwaite has been Multan’s standout bowler. The West Indian has four wickets in his first four matches and is conceding an economical 7.25 runs an over.
For Gladiators, captain Sarfaraz Ahmed stepped up against Peshawar with an impressive half-century (81 runs from 40 deliveries) to put his side in a strong position. It proved not to be enough but with Faf du Plessis (37 off 26) impressing on debut and Azam Khan contributing 47 runs from the middle of the order, there are positive signs with the bat for Quetta.
Faf du Plessis is expected to continue for Quetta in Chris Gayle’s absence while England’s Tom Banton could earn a recall to the top of the order following a poor performance from Cameron Delport. South African bowler Dale Steyn has also joined up with Gladiators after missing the first week of the competition and will be hoping to get back up to speed after a disappointing performance against Peshawar.
Multan Sultans are expected to be full strength.
Yes, PSL 6 matches are operating at 20 per cent capacity in 2021, 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.
Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi (on-field umpires)
Richard Illingworth (third umpire)
Ahsan Raza (fourth umpire)
Roshan Mahanama (match referee)
Full PSL umpire appointments - click here
Both sides have performed when batting first and have failed to defend 190+ totals, meaning the outcome of the toss could be an early indicator of who will take the two points. However, given the existing form of James Vince and Mohammad Rizwan, and the upturn in fortunes for Chris Lynn, Multan Sultans should be too strong for Quetta.
Multan Sultans captain Mohammad Rizwan (celebrating his half-century against Lahore Qalandars) will be pleased with the return to form of Australian number three Chris Lynn
The bookies are also backing Multan Sultans to win, offering odds of 8/11. Quetta are at 11/10 to win, however these odds could change depending on the outcome of their clash with Islamabad United.
PSL TEAM GUIDES
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.
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)
Multan Sultans: Shahid Afridi, Imran Tahir, James Vince, Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, Shan Masood, Sohail Tanvir, Usman Qadir, Chris Lynn, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Carlos Brathwaite, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohaib Ullah, Adam Lyth, Shahnawaz Dhani, Muhammad Umar, Imran Khan Sr
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