Qalandars seek to extend lead in match against United

KARACHI: Consistent Lahore Qalandars will be looking to extend their lead and virtually ensure their playoffs spot when they lock horns with the two-time winners Islamabad United in what could be an absorbing clash of the HBL PSL-6 at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (today).

The match starts at 6pm PST.

In the other game of the day, former champions Peshawar Zalmi will take on Multan Sultans at 11pm PST.

The last-year runners-up Lahore Qalandars are in great form, having won both their Abu Dhabi leg matches, beating United and Zalmi in hot conditions.

Lahore are at the summit with ten points. They are followed by United with eight points.

United thrashed Gladiators by ten wickets on Friday night thanks to Colin Munro’s (90*) superb fireworks as the New Zealander put on 137 runs for the first wicket unbroken stand to achieve the 134-run target with ten overs in spare.

As the game starts at 6pm PST, it is hoped that there will not be much dew and it could be a high-scoring game.

Different pitches have been seen so far but slowness is a common factor and the batsmen who take time on the crease and then start going can achieve success.

In the absence of injured Faheem Ashraf, Shadab-led United are lucky that their young pace attack did well against Quetta on Friday. Wasim Junior, Musa and Akif Javed remained impressive under the calm captaincy of Shadab who has also started delivering after coming back from injury.

Lahore’s Afghan spinner Rashid Khan is a real threat for United as the leggie is in top form, having done well in both the matches. On Friday he broke the back of Zalmi with magical figures of 5-20.

The Zalmi-Sultans outing could be more important for the latter as they have just four points from six outings.

There is little room for mistakes for Rizwan-led Sultans who had come to the Abu Dhabi leg after winning just one match from five during the Karachi stage.

In the game against Karachi Kings which Sultans won by 12 runs, a few good scores were seen from Sultans’ batsmen which enabled them to post 176 which Kings failed to achieve, losing by 12 runs.