Lahore Qalandars vs Peshawar Zalmi, PSL T20 2023, Today Match Prediction

lhq vs psz Match Prediction & Analysis

Nothing gets as big as this, as one team is just 2 games away from lifting the Pakistan Super League trophy. Having qualified in the top 2 gives one team this advantage of having another bite at the cherry, and proves to be a hurdle for a won team who have already had the tougher way out, to get their hands on the trophy.

Lahore Qalandars finished on top of the points table and looked like favourites to lift the trophy before they went crashing out in the qualifier against Multan Sultans. All is not lost as they still have another chance of getting through to the finals if they win Eliminator 2.

On the other hand, Peshawar Zalmi has to face the task of going through another Eliminator as they did not finish in the top 2. The Eliminator 2 is another hurdle in their quest for the trophy as they will have to face one of the top 2 teams.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Lahore Qalandars Preview

Finishing on top of the points table, the Lahore Qalandars were the favourites going into the Qualifier to win the Pakistan Super League. However, after being humbled by Multan Sultans they will have to fight for the spot in the finals for the second time in Eliminator 2.

Put into the field first, Lahore Qalandars bowled pretty well as they didn’t let the opposition get off to a flyer. However, poor death bowling meant that they had to chase a score of 161 in 20 overs.  Haris Rauf was brilliant as he picked up 3 wickets for 34 runs.

The target didn’t seem that high, and the batting team would’ve been confident of chasing it down given the firepower they had. However, they came crashing down getting bowled out for a mere 76 runs. This was definitely not expected as they came into this game as favourites.

Key Players: Sam Billings, Fakhar Zaman, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi

Lahore Qalandars Predicted Playing XI:

Fakhar Zaman, Mirza Tahir Baig, Abdullah Shafique, Sam Billings(w), Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi(c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

Lahore Qalandars Actual Playing XI:

Abdullah Shafiq, Sikandar Raza, Fakhar Zaman, Zaman Khan, Tahir Baig, Ahsan Bhatti, Shaheen Afridi, Sam Billings, David Wiese, Haris Rauf, Rashid Khan

Peshawar Zalmi Preview

Peshawar Zalmi has gone from being 4th in the league to potentially being 2 wins away from the Pakistan Super League. They have been quite inconsistent throughout the competition and will hope to have put that to rest as they get ready to play Eliminator 2.

Put into bat after losing the toss, the Peshawar Zalmi could not have been happier with how the first innings went. Scoring 183 runs in a must-win game with the top order firing on all cylinders is something that they would have been hoping for. Babar Azam led from the front scoring 64 runs and playing a captain's knock.

After a brilliant batting performance, it was time for the bowling department to stand up, and they did. After what seemed a game almost lost, the bowlers pulled it back dramatically winning the game by 12 runs in the end. Salman Irshad was sublime picking up 2 wickets and giving away just 18 runs in such a high-scoring game.

Key Players: Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Wahab Riaz

Peshawar Zalmi Predicted Playing XI:

Babar Azam(c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Haseebullah Khan(w), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, James Neesham, Aamer Jamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Wahab Riaz, Salman Irshad

Peshawar Zalmi Actual Playing XI:

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Babar Azam, Tom Kohler Cadmore, Saim Ayub, Salman Irshad, Mohammad Haris, Haseebullah Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aamer Jamal, Wahab Riaz, Azmatullah Omarzai

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The weather seems to be perfect for a game of cricket, but there is also 41% chance of rain throughout the day. The maximum and minimum temperatures will be in the 27°C - 17°C range.

Venue Details

The Gadaffi Stadium is located in Lahore, Pakistan. The stadium is one of the most used stadiums for international matches in Pakistan and has a capacity of 27,000

In the 24 T20 matches played here, the team batting first has won 13 games, while the team batting second has won 11 games.

Toss: To Bowl

In what is usually a ground where teams would win the toss and bat first, the possibility of rain changes everything. The team ho wins the toss would like to bowl first, given D/Ls method could also play a huge part in the game.