PSL8: Islamabad United bat first against Quetta Gladiators
KARACHI – Islamabad United won the toss and decided to bat first against Quetta Gladiators in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) eighth season on Friday.
The encounter will start at 7pm at the National Bank Cricket Arena.
Gladiators, who are in deep trouble with three defeats in four games, will make some changes in the crucial game against United.
Gladiators’ main area of concern is their batting which completely failed to click in all four matches they have played so far. Martin Guptill’s 117 in their six-run victory against Karachi Kings has been their best individual performance as the New Zealander single-handedly guided his side to 168-7.
And the pace-duo of Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah did well in the death overs to gift the only win to the Gladiators as Karachi Kings were restricted to 162-5.
On the other side, Islamabad United have won just two games in the three matches they have played so far. They defeated Peshawar Zalmi in their third show on Thursday.
After they beat Karachi Kings by four wickets in their opener on February 16 here, United were whipped by Multan Sultans by 52 runs in Multan.
Squads
Quetta Gladiators: Martin Guptill, Jason Roy, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Iftikhar Ahmed, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Qais Ahmad, Odean Smith, Omair bin Yousuf, Will Smeed, Saud Shakeel, Nuwan Thushara.
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asif Ali, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Colin Munro, Paul Stirling, Rumman Raees, Sohaib Maqsood, Hassan Nawaz, Zeeshan Zamir, Mubasir Khan, Moeen Ali (yet to join), Alex Hales (yet to join).
