Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators: PSL 2020, Match 9, Preview

Defending champions Quetta Gladiators will face two-time champions Islamabad United in the ninth match of PSL at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today.

The match will start at 7pm.

Both teams which are playing their fourth game of the tournament have four points each from the three matches they have played so far.

Heavyweights of the tournament, Islamabad United lifted the inaugural title in 2016 and then in 2018. They finished fourth in 2017 and third in 2019.

Gladiators were the runners-up for the first two consecutive years — in 2016 and 2017. They finished fourth in 2018 and won the championship last year.

Islamabad United led by young all-rounder Shadab Khan has one of the strongest teams on paper with South African batsman Colin Ingram and Colin Munro, fast bowler Dale Steyn, English batsmen Dawid Malan and Phil Salt, and New Zealander batsman wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi.

Among the Pakistani cricketers are all-rounders Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat along with Shadab Khan, batsmen Asif Ali, Rizwan Hussain and Saif Badar. The bowling department is made up of Muhammad Musa, Amad Butt, Rumman Raees, Zafar Gohar and Akif Javed.

The Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Quetta Gladiators have another strong squad with the likes of all-rounder Shane Watson, Keemo Paul, Jason Roy, Ben Cutting, Fawad Ahmed and Tymal Mills.

Among the Pakistani players are batsmen Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor and Ahsan Ali along with promising batsman Azam Khan, bowlers Mohammad Hasnain and Mohammad Nawaz, Sohail Khan, Abdul Nasir and Aarish Ali Khan.