Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi PSL - Hurt champions could be up for revenge

The loss to Lahore notwithstanding, Islamabad have been the team to beat this season. Can they treat that game as an aberration? I am backing them to bounce back and win here.

Islamabad have won 10 of their last 11 matches in a row.

Peshawar lost 6 of their last 8 matches.

Islamabad won their last 3 matches against Peshawar.

There have been 25 matches between Peshawar and Islamabad so far, with the record being very close. Islamabad won 13, and Peshawar won 12.

The recent match between these sides was played in Rawalpindi earlier in this season when Islamabad won by 102 runs. Led by opener Sahibzada Farhan’s sparkling ton (106 off 52 balls), Islamabad posted 243 for 5. The chase was never on, despite a fighting 87 from Mohammad Haris, taking them to 141 in 18.2 overs. Imad Wasim (3 for 26) was Islamabad’s best bowler, while Ben Dwarshuis and Shadab Khan took two wickets each.

Islamabad are top of the standings with 10 points (W5, L1) after 19 matches. They have a two-point lead over Lahore and Quetta, who play on Thursday, and one of them would join Islamabad at the top. Looking at the slight difference in NRR, the winner of that match could replace Islamabad as the new leader.

That said, Islamabad has this game in hand to get back their leadership. This is a far cry from their start, where five wins out of five, and all comprehensive ones, made them runaway leaders. The 88-run defeat to Lahore on Wednesday was a big factor in pulling their run rate down.

Sahibzada (245 runs, SR 161.18) remains their best batter, but they would want more from the middle order. Jason Holder (14 wickets, ER 8.59) is their best bowler, although he was taken to the cleaners on Wednesday.

United made five changes to their side that won the first five matches to lose comprehensively to Lahore. Will they go back to square one and get their regular team back in the park?

After 19 matches, Peshawar are fifth in the standings with four points (W2, L4). With Multan playing on Thursday, Zalmi could find themselves level on points with the basement franchise.

They were beaten by Quetta by 64 runs to continue their indifferent form. From their second match onwards, they have been losing and winning alternately, although for the fans that sequence should see them winning here!

Their winning chances depend on Haris (210 runs, SR 162.79), who’s their best batter of the season. Alzarri Joseph (10 wickets, ER 8.95) has taken wickets regularly, but the form of others is a worry.

Ali Raza was off-colour in his last match, but will Peshawar bench him? Tom Kohler-Cadmore is struggling this season and could be replaced in the playing XI.