PSL 2022 match preview: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars

Key match-ups, squad lists, head-to-head record, weather forecast, prediction, odds, form guide and more ahead of the next game of the 2022 Pakistan Super League season

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What's the match?

Islamabad United take on Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League.

When is it taking place?

The game is set for Saturday, February 5. The first ball will be bowled at 2:30pm local time (9:30pm GMT).

Where is the match being played?

The game will be held at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Who's got the form?

Islamabad United have won two of their opening three matches in PSL7, defeating Peshawar Zalmi (nine wickets) and Quetta Gladiators (43 runs) either side of a 20-run defeat against Multan Sultans.

United have enjoyed themselves with the bat in each of their three matches to date, scored 172, 197 and 229 runs.

Paul Stirling, in particular, has impressed, blasting 134 runs (two half-centuries) at a strike rate of 212.69 at the top of the order. Fellow top-order batters Alex Hales, Colin Munro and Shadab Khan have also scored half-centuries while middle-order wrecking ball Azam Khan struck 65 runs off 35 balls against Quetta Gladiators.

Lahore Qalandars, meanwhile, lost their season opener against Multan Sultans but bounced back to defeat Karachi Kings (six wickets) and Peshawar Zalmi (29 runs).

Like United, the Qalandars have found runs easy to come by, passing 170 in all three matches to date and opener Fakhar Zaman scoring a tournament-leading 248 runs.

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Azam Khan [Asif Hasan/AFP via Getty Images]

What's the key match-up?

This match is likely to be a run-fest.

Islamabad United have a quartet of form batters (Hales, Stirling, Munro, Shadab Khan) at the top of the order while Fakhar Zaman has been unstoppable for Lahore Qalandars, scoring one century and two half-centuries in three appearances.

Both sides also have options in the middle order. United's Azam Khan demonstrated why he is a highly-touted finisher with a half-century against Quetta Gladiators while Samit Patel, Mohammad Hafeez and Rashid Khan have all chipped in with speedy runs for Lahore.

How their respective bowling attacks respond to the challenge will probably decide this match.

Rashid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have both been typically effective for the Qalandars while Zaman Khan came into form in their most recent outing, picking up 3 for 32. 

For Islamabad United, Shadab Khan is the only bowler with an economy below eight. He picked up a five-for against the Gladiators.

Head-to-head record 

Matches played: 12

Islamabad United wins: 9

Lahore Qalandars wins: 3

What's the weather forecast?

Sunny conditions are expected in Karachi, with temperatures hovering around 25 degrees Celsius.

What are the squads?

Islamabad United: Asif Ali, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Alex Hales, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Azam Khan, Paul Stirling, Colin Munro, Marchant de Lange, Muhammad Akhlaq, Reece Topley, Danish Aziz, Zafar Gohar, Mubasir Khan, M. Zeeshan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ather Mehmood

Supplementary draft: Musa Khan, Zahir Khan

Partial replacement: Mohammad Huraira, Liam Dawson

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

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 Abdullah Shafique [Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images]

What are the possible starting XIs?

Islamabad United: Paul Stirling, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Asif Ali, Musabir Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Waqas Maqsood

Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hafeez, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Zeeshan Ashraf, Dean Foxcroft, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

What's the prediction?

A tight, high-scoring match which will likely hinge on how Lahore's bowlers fare against Islamabad's batting quartet. Islamabad United to edge it.

Where can I watch the game?

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)

Islamabad United

Karachi Kings

Lahore Qalandars

Multan Sultans

Peshawar Zalmi

Quetta Gladiators

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