Pakistan Super League 2023: Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars – Final Preview and Updates

Cricket

Rizwan has led the Sultans to their third PSL final in a row. In the Qualifier, they bowled out Qalandars for 76 runs to secure their final berth. Lahore Qalandars recovered to reach their second consecutive final by chasing down a 172-run target against Peshawar Zalmi in the 2nd Eliminator.

Mohammad Rizwan, who won the tournament’s player of the year award last year, will be pleased to see his middle order in top form. Multan Sultans’ match-winners include Rilee Rossouw, Kieron Pollard, and Tim David.

Lahore Qalandars were bowled out for 76 and 110 runs in their previous two innings before defeating Peshawar in the Eliminator 2.

The Sultans, on the other hand, were involved in two high-scoring games in Rawalpindi. The bowlers were costly, conceding 240+ runs in both innings, but the batters ensured the Sultans won.

Qalandars did something no other team in Lahore has done this season. They were successful in their pursuit of a total. Their confidence will be high as they face off against last year’s runners-up at the same venue.

The Final Match between Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars will take place on March 18th, 2023 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Match Details to Note

Match: Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars, Final, Pakistan Super League, 2023

Date: March 18, 2023 (Saturday)

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars

Multan Sultans (Match Odds – 1.90):

Preview:

They lost in the 2022 PSL Final against Lahore Qalandars and are now back to lay their claim on the title in 2023. The winners of 2021 are on a roll here. They went from three consecutive losses to three wins in a row thanks to some outstanding performances.

Prior to defending a 160-run total in the Qualifier, Sultans had chased down 243 and posted a 262-run total in Rawalpindi batting first.

While Rizwan will always be the main hitter in this lineup, there have been a few other standout performances in recent games. Rilee Rossouw scored 121 points off 51 shots at number three against Zalmi. In the following game, opening batsman Usman Khan scored 120 runs off 43 balls.

The Multan Sultans’ top order is currently sorted. What makes Sultans even more dangerous is that their middle order consistently delivers. Rilee Rossouw, Kieron Pollard, and Tim David are all striking the ball at high rates, as expected.

Chasing totals hasn’t been an easy pitch in Lahore. And if the Sultans lose the toss and are forced to bowl first, they will face a difficult task. They would require another outstanding performance from their batters. Partnerships will be crucial, and Rizwan will serve as the batting lineup’s anchor.

Full Squad:

Usman Khan, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Rilee Rossouw, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Khushdil Shah, Anwar Ali, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Sheldon Cottrell, Ihsanullah, Izharulhaq Naveed, Mohammad Sarwar, Carlos Brathwaite, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Ilyas, Sameen Gul

Players to watch out for:

Mohammad Rizwan

Despite falling six runs short of becoming the competition’s leading run-scorer, Rizwan will be expected to bat the majority of the 20 overs if the Sultans are to score big runs.

Ihsanullah

The Afghanistan star has been the tournament’s breakout performer and will be crucial in taking wickets in the middle overs at this venue.

Abbas Afridi

The 21-year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler, needs multiple wickets to cement his position as the leading wicket-taker. The Sultans will rely on him to stop the Qalandars’ batting lineup after he demonstrated his value in the latte rovers.

Possible Playing XI:

Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Usman Khan, Rilee Rossouw, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Khushdil Shah, Anwar Ali, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Sheldon Cottrell, Ihsanullah

Lahore Qalandars (Match Odds – 1.90):

Preview:

Lahore Qalandars had lost two consecutive games before facing Peshawar Zalmi in the playoffs’ second elimination round. These were significant losses – 84 and 86 runs, respectively.

And to come back with a successful run chase on a ground where no other team has done it this season is a huge accomplishment.

Though there were no standout performances from the top order, a fifty from Mirza Tahir Baig has given them hope. Fakhar Zaman continued to struggle at the top, while Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza batted well in the middle.

Baig and Billings added 50 runs for the fourth wicket in the middle overs in just 26 balls. This was critical for the chase. In the lower order, Qalandars also have David Wiese and Rashid Khan. These two can play a useful knock and contribute with the bat.

With the likes of Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, and skipper Shaheen Afridi in the bowling attack, there is no shortage of talent. This lineup has a lot of wicket-taking options and will pose a tough challenge to the opposition.

In the batting department, however, there is still room for improvement. Many key players in the top and middle couldn’t get going, which Qalandars wouldn’t like in the final.

Full Squad:

Mirza Tahir Baig, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Sam Billings(w), Sikandar Raza, Ahsan Bhatti, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi(c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Hussain Talat, Jalat Khan, Shawaiz Irfan, Dilbar Hussain, Kamran Ghulam, Ahmed Daniyal

Players to watch out for:

Tahir Baig

The opener is coming off a confident 54-run inning in the Eliminator 2 to secure his team’s spot in the final. Baig will need to give his team a good start against a star-studded bowling lineup if LQ is to defend their title.

Rashid Khan

As the team’s leading wickettaker, Rashid’s performance in the middle overs and a potential battle against Mohammad Rizwan could decide his team’s fate in the final.

Haris Rauf

Although the pitch at Gaddafi Stadium has nothing to offer Haris Rauf, the experienced fast bowler will be crucial in limiting Multan Sulatns’ scoring rate in the death overs.

Possible Playing XI:

Mirza Tahir Baig, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Sam Billings (wk), Ahsan Bhatti, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Top Team Batsmen

We recommend picking Mohammad Rizwan, Rilee Rossouw, and Kieron Pollard from the Multan Sultans’ abetting department. While Rizwan may be the leading run-scorer in the eighth edition of the PSL, Pollard is coming off an impressive half-century. Finally, Rossouw has made good starts but has yet to convert them into big scores.

From the Lahore Qalandars, we would suggest you pick Fakhar Zamn, Tahir Baig, and Sam Billings. These three players have all had big innings against their names. However, their recent performance has shown that they are unable to capitalise on good starts. The PSL 2023 final could be their last chance.

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Top Team Bowlers

We recommend that you select Sheldon Cottrell, Abbas Afridi, and Ihsanullah from the Multan Sultans. While the latter two have taken the most wickets in this season’s PSL, Cottrell made his presence felt by taking three wickets against the same opposition in the Qualifier.

Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridia re the three players we would suggest you pick from the Lahore Qalandars. While Khan and Rauf have taken 18 and 17 wickets respectively in this tournament, Shaheen’s performance with the new ball could be critical in dismantling the Sultans’ in-form top order in the final.

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Head to Head

The Qalandars defeated the Sultans in both of their group stage games. However, the latter team came out on top in the Qualifier, dominating the defending champion.

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Head to Head Stats in T20s

	Matches Played	MUL Won	LAH Won	Tie	NR
Overall	16	8	8	0	0

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Toss Prediction

This season, no team has been able to successfully chase down a target in Lahore. Given the circumstances, the decision is straightforward. Toss the coin and bat first.

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Pitch Report

The PSL 2023 Final will take place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. On this ground, the average first inning in domestic T20s is 175 runs. Teams batting first have won 26 of the 39 matches played here.

This pitch is a little difficult. It allows batters to play their strokes freely in the first inning but makes it much more difficult in the second. The sky will be partly cloudy, with a high temperature of 24 degrees Celsius.

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Prediction

This is almost a carbon copy of the PSL final in 2022. Same finalists, same location. Multan Sultans are on a roll with back-to-back victories. Whereas, Qalandars will have momentum after a brilliant comeback in the last game. In terms of potential and current form, Sultans come out on top in our squad analysis. The coin toss can be very important in the game. The team that bats first will have an advantage. Multan Sultans will start as favourites in our match prediction due to their superior team and better form. Check out the odds at Cricbaba!

Multan Sultans is the favourite to beat Lahore Qalandars at the odds of 1.90.

Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Most Recommended Player for Bet:

Mohammad Rizwan has been the best batsman in the Sultans’ lineup, scoring 516 runs in 11 games at an average of 57.33. We expect the Sultans captain to score more than 40 runs in the final.

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