Pakistan Super League may not be followed as much as some of the other cricket leagues, but the quality of cricket here is certainly as good as any. We are quite early into the 2022 edition of the tournament and we have already seen some of the cracking matches. The points table is excitingly poised at the moment and the tournament is still wide open.

Up next in the tournament, Peshawar Zalmi are set to take on each other in an important mid-table encounter. The two sides have so far have not played much and have done a decent job in the limited outings they have been part of. This upcoming match is to be played on 2nd February 2022 at the National Stadium, Karachi.

PESHAWAR ZALMI VS LAHORE QALANDARS TEAM PREVIEWS

PESHAWAR ZALMI

Peshawar Zalmis had a pretty successful season last year as they made it to the finale before losing the most important match to Multan Sultans. They have undoubtedly been one of the most consistent sides in the history of the tournament and their fourth final in the last edition speaks volumes about that.

The Zalmis got off to a fantastic start this year as they defeated Quetta Gladiators quite comfortably in a high-scoring match. Post that, however, they suffered a heavy loss at the hands of Islamabad United, dropping to the fifth spot on the ladder in the process. They currently have two points in two matches along with a terrible net run rate of -1.052.

Peshawar Zalmi have a terrific batting unit that can do pretty well in all conditions. That was evident in both of their matches as they managed to score a decent total despite their top-order not performing. However, they have struggled with the ball and that proved to be the main cause of their downfall in their match against Islamabad United.

With experience available in the form of Shoaib Malik and Shrefane Rutherford in the middle-order, Peshawar Zalmi have a batting unit as good as any. A lot will depend on how they are able to do with the ball in this upcoming match and if their bowlers can keep things tight, Peshawar Zalmi will be in business.

LAHORE QALANDARS

Lahore Qalandars had a terrible run last year and would be very keen to put that behind and start spectacularly well this year. What was more surprising last year was that despite winning five out of their first six matches, Qalandars finished at the fifth spot. Surprisingly, Qalandars are the only team that is yet to win the title in the last six years.

The Qalandars have once again shown plenty of trust in their core set of players and have elevated Shaheen Shah Afridi as the skipper of the side. Besides, Rashid’s Khan return to the side as an overseas player has certainly bolstered their bowling department, at least on paper.

As it currently stands on the points table, Lahore Qalandars are placed at the fourth spot with one win and one loss so far. They suffered a narrow loss at the hands of Multan Sultans in the opening match of the competition but then clawed their way back with a terrific win over Karachi Kings in their subsequent encounter. Chasing a total of 171, Lahore Qalandars did a spectacular job as they cruised to the total with six wickets in hand and four deliveries to spare.

All in all, the Qalandars have done a decent job in both the matches they have played, even though they have only one successful result to speak for them. With the availability of seven players who can bowl, the Qalandars have an excellent bowling attack that features Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rashid Khan both. Haris Rauf stepped up his game beautifully in the last match and will be keen to do that again.

On the batting front, however, they do appear to be a bit over-reliant on Fakhar Zaman in the top order. Having said that, the presence of Mohammad Hafeez, Samit Patel, David Wiese, and Ben Dunk in the middle order provides a good cushion to them. They will need to attack from the word go in this upcoming match and if they are able to play to their potential, getting past the Qalandars is going to be very difficult.

PESHAWAR ZALMI VS LAHORE QALANDARS MATCH DETAILS:

Match: Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars, Match 9, Pakistan Super League 2022
Date and Time: February 2nd 2022, Wednesday, 07:30 PM IST
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi

PESHAWAR ZALMI VS LAHORE QALANDARS PITCH REPORT

The pitch at the National Stadium is a belter of a track. The batters enjoy batting on this surface as the ball comes nicely onto the bat. The surface will get better under lights and the bowlers will have to be on their toes while bowling on this surface.

PESHAWAR ZALMI VS LAHORE QALANDARS WEATHER FORECAST

Clear skies will greet the two sides on Wednesday. The temperature in Karachi is expected to range between 17 and 27 degrees Celsius.

PESHAWAR ZALMI VS LAHORE QALANDARS PROBABLE XIS

PESHAWAR ZALMI

Sherfane Rutherford remained unbeaten on 70 lower down the order to help his team post 168 on the board. But the bowlers were disappointed in their last match and need to step up in their upcoming game.

LAHORE QALANDARS

Haris Rauf picked up three wickets to restrict the Kings to 170. Fakhar Zaman’s brilliance with the bat helped his team win the game by six wickets.

PESHAWAR ZALMI VS LAHORE QALANDARS MATCH PREDICTION

The Zalmi suffered a heavy loss against the United in their last game whereas the Qalandars beat the Kings in a closely-fought contest. The Zalmi have to be on their toes to challenge the high-flying Qalandars in their upcoming fixture.

Lahore Qalandars have the winning momentum behind them and are expected to beat the Peshawar Zalmi on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: LAHORE QALANDARS TO WIN THIS ENCOUNTER.