Key match-ups, squad lists, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, odds, form guide and more ahead of the third game of the 2022 Pakistan Super League season
Multan Sultans take on Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League.
The game is set for Saturday, January 29. The first ball will be bowled at 2pm local time (9:00am GMT).
The game will be held at the National Stadium in Karachi.
Multan Sultans come into the tournament as the form side, having won last years competition, prevailing in convincing fashion in the final against Peshawar Zalmi.
Lahore Qalandars have been the proverbial whipping boys of the tournament for much of its history, finishing bottom of the table on four occasions. Indeed, the Qalandars have only once made it past the group stage in previous tournaments.
Last year, the Sultans beat the Qalandars convincingly on both occasions, chasing down 157 in 16.2 overs in their first meeting, and skittling them for just 89 as they attempted to pursue 169 in the reverse fixture.
The Sultans won the first match of the 2022 PSL, chasing down Karachi Kings’ 124 with 1.4 overs to spare. Contributions from skipper Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood and Sohaib Maqsood helped them across the line.
Shan Masood (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
Multan Sultans' explosive batting line-up, including T20I cricketer of the year Mohammad Rizwan - who hit 500 runs last season - Sohaib Maqsood, Shan Masood and Rilee Roussouw to name just a few, will be keen to get out of the blocks quickly and not give the bowlers a chance to find good areas.
The bowlers they will face are some of the best in the world, Shaheen Shah Afridi won 2021 ICC player of the year, and will be keen to get one over on his international teammate Rizwan.
As will Haris Rauf, with the devastating pace of the seam attack likely to cause some problems to the batters.
In addition, superstar spinner Rashid Khan brings an element of mystery, and something different to the pacers, the leg-spinner has taken 420 wickets in domestic T20 competition and will no doubt improve on that.
Matches played: 9
Multan Sultans wins: 5
Lahore Qalandars wins: 4
A clear early evening is expected in Karachi, with temperatures at around 25 degrees Celsius at the start of play.
Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan, Rilee Rossouw, Sohaib Maqsood, Imran Tahir, Shan Masood, Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dhani, Tim David, Odean Smith, Rumman Raees, Asif Afridi, Anwar Ali, Rovman Powell, Imran Khan Sr., Abbas Afridi, Amir Azmat, Blessing Muzarabani, Ihsanullah
Supplementary round: David Willey, Rizwan Hussain
Partial replacements: Johnson Charles, Dominic Drakes
Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rashid Khan, David Wiese, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohail Akhtar, Zeeshan Ashraf, Ahmed Daniyal, Fakhar Zaman, Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Dean Foxcroft, Zaman Khan, Maaz Khan, Samit Patel, Syed Faridoun
Supplementary round: Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Akif Javed
Partial replacement: Ben Dunk, Matthew Potts
The irrepressible Rashid Khan (Karim Jaafar/Getty Images)
Multan Sultans: Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan, Sohaib Maqsood, Rilee Rossouw, Tim David, Khushdil Shah, David Willey, Imran Tahir, Imran Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Ihsanullah
Lahore Qalandars: Mohammed Hafeez, Sohail Akhtar, Fakhar Zaman, Ben Dunk, David Wiese, Samit Patel, Rashid Khan, Ahmed Daniyal, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zaman Khan
Multan Sultans are favourites at 8/11, with Lahore Qalandars given odds of 11/10.
The Sultans have already won one game in pursuit of their second successive PSL title, and their powerful squad will likely be enough to overcome Qalandars and make it two wins from two.
In Pakistan, games will be on A Super and PTV Sports.
In the UK games will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket (Sky 404, Virgin 504).
In Australia, the games will be shown on Foxtel, Fox Sports and Kayo.
In India, Sony Sports Network carries the broadcast rights.
In the Caribbean, Flow Sports hold the broadcast rights, with Willow TV showing the tournament in North America.
SuperSport will provide coverage in South Africa, while Sky Sport will show the matches in New Zealand.
The PCB has partnered with ICC TV and tapmad TV to broadcast PSL7 in: Andorra, Antarctica, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bouvet Island, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Island, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Faroe islands, Finland, France, French Guiana, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guyana, Heard Island, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgystan, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Caledonia, North Korea, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Vietnam and Venezuela.
The commentary line-up includes Nick Knight, David Gower, Mike Haysman, Pommie Mbangwa, Danny Morrison, Bazid Khan, Waqar Younis, Urooj Mumtaz, Sana Mir, Marina Iqbal and Tariq Saeed. Erin Holland, Zainab Abbas and Sikandar Bakht will present the live coverage.
PSL GUIDES (open in external window in app)