The Pakistan Super League has thrilling so far, with some matches being decided in the last ball of the match. The PSL is heading towards a dramatic finish to the league stages, as Islamabad United face Lahore Qalandars for the final spot in the playoff stage.
The match result will not worry Islamabad United too much, as the team has already reached the playoffs, but they will want to head into the all-important knockout stage of the PSL with a win against Lahore.
However, the situation is completely different for Lahore. They will not be guaranteed a playoff spot, even if they win their last match of the competition, as their qualification fate depends on the penultimate game of the PSL round robin stages between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings.
With Karachi having defeated Lahore twice in the PSL, the former will reach the playoffs if they are tied on points, which they will be if both the teams end up with the same result. Lahore will be keeping their fingers crossed as Peshawar has to defeat Karachi for Lahore to have any chance of progressing in the PSL.
Things would not have come to such a point had Lahore defeated Quetta Gladiators in their last match on Tuesday. Lahore, it has to be said, was unlucky to taste defeat after their impressive batting performance, where they posted the highest score of the PSL -- 201 runs. However, Quetta chased that scored down in a last ball thriller.
Irrespective of how the game finishes between Peshawar and Karachi, both Islamabad and Lahore will play for a win. Lahore must have been pleased with their star player, Chris Gayle finally striking form in their last game, scoring 60 runs from 34 balls. Even Azhar Ali scored a 45-ball 61. The opening duo needs to once again deliver in the PSL.
On the other hand, Islamabad might look to give chances to their bench players in the competition and provide rest to their star players, who are going to play a huge role in the playoffs.
Islamabad will be hoping for a similar performance to the one when they defeated Lahore comprehensively by 8 wickets, on February 10, chasing a target of 167 runs.
Teams: Lahore Qalandars:Chris Gayle, Yasir Shah, Sohaib Maqsood, Mustafizur Rahman, Kevon Cooper, Cameron Delport, Zafar Gohar, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Zia ul Haq, Naved Yasin, Adnan Rasool, Hammad Azam, , Dwayne Bravo, Umar Akmal, Zohaib Khan, Ehsan Adil, Abdul Razzaq, Mukhtar Ahmed, Imran Butt.
Islamabad United: Shane Watson, Mohammad Irfan, Brad Haddin, Sharjeel Khan, Imran Khalid, Kamran Ghulam, Umar Amin, Sam Billings Mohammad Sami, Khalid Latif, Babar Azam, Andre Russell, Misbah-ul-Haq, Samuel Badree, , Rumman Raees, Amad Butt, Saeed Ajmal, Hussain Talat Ashar Zaidi, Umar Siddiq.
Where to watch live
Game 13 of the Pakistan Super League – Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United -- is scheduled for 8pm local time (9:30 p.m. IST, 9 p.m. PKT, 4 p.m. GMT) start. Unfortunately there is no live TV coverage in India.
Viewers in Pakistan can watch the -- Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United live on PTV Sports, Ten Sports and Geo Super with the live streaming online option on PTV Sports Live.
OSN will broadcast the Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United live in UAE,with the match can be live streamed on OSN Play.
UK viewers can watch the Lahore Qalandars vs Islamabad United live live on Prime TV with live streaming on Prime TV Online.
