Pakistan Super League Team-by-Team Guide: Who can stop defending champs Lahore?

Islamabad United, 5/16.00 to win the PSL

2025 finish: 2
Batting rank: 2
Bowling rank: 3
Top bat % last 2 years: Shadab 22
Top bowler % last 2 years: Imad 26

Squad: Shadab Khan (c), Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Max Bryant, Mark Chapman, Nisar Ahmed, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameen Gul, Sameer Minhas, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Dipendra Singh Airee, Mohammad Faiq, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim

Possible XI: Gous, Minhas, Bryant, Chapman, Shadab, Imad, Faheem, Haider, Wasim, Irshad, Mirza

Analysis: United won their first five league matches and then only once more in a spectacular fall from grace. They have lost top scorer Sahib Farhan and top wicket-taker Jason Holder. So it is reasonable to reckon that the second-half of last season's campaign is more instructive. The recrtuitment is shy of proven performers and now look over-reliant on the Shadab-Imad-Faheem axis.  Punters are unlikely to forget the even money to make the final last term which bombed.

Best play: Taking big prices on Shadab for top bat

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Lahore Qalandars, 11/26.50

2025 finish: Winners
Batting rank: 1
Bowling rank: 5
Top bat % last 2 years: Shafique 27.7
Top bowler % last 2 years: Usama 26

Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Naeem, Mustafizur Rahman, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Fakhar Zaman, Ubaid Shah, Haseebullah, Mohammad Farooq, Parvez Hussain Emon, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Tayyab Tahir, Dunith Wellalage, Rubin Hermann, Maaz Khan, Shahab Khan.

Possible XI: Naeem, Shafique, Fakhar, R Hermann, Raza, Tayyab, Haseebullah, Afridi, Usama, Rauf, Mustafizur

Analysis: The champs, who once again look fearsome with the bat. They have retained Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad naeem, who were remarkabley consistent. Their first-choice four with the ball is international class and should ensure they are bang in the hunt once more. But there is a worry about lower-order power. Rubin Hermann, who may keep wicket, may need a big series in his debut season. 

Best play: Usama Mir is a star. Look to back him in performance markets.

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Karachi Kings, 5/16.00

2025 finish: 3
Batting rank: 6
Bowling rank: 2
Top bat % last 2 years: Warner 36
Top bowler % last 2 years: Hasan Ali 35

Squad: David Warner (C), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Moeen Ali, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Mohammad Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Khwaja Bin Tanveer, Reeza Hendricks, Muhammad Waseem, Ihsanullah,  Rizwanullah

Possible XI: Hendricks, Warner, Baig, Azam, Salman, Moeen, Khushdil, Hasan Ali, Abbas, Zampa, Hamza

Analysis: Kings were revolutinised into a competitive force thanks to David Warner. They fought hard despite poor balance but discovered a way to win by being mean in the field. Have they solved the issue with batting power? Losing Johnson Charles isn't ideal but Reeza Hendricks does not die wondering. Salman Agha and Azam Khan can make the difference with strike rate this time, too. 

Best play: Don't rule out KK defending low scores.

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Multan Sultans, 5/16.00

2025 finish: na
Batting rank: na
Bowling rank: na
Top bat % last 2 years: Farhan 40
Top bowler % last 2 years: Nawaz 16.6

Squad: Ashton Turner (c), Mohammad Nawaz, Shehzad Gul, Faisal Akram, Imran Randhawa, Arafat Minhas, Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Phillippe, Shan Masood, Momin Qamar, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Shahzad, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ismail, Atizaz Habib Khan.

Possible XI: Smith, Farhan, Masood, Phillippe, Turner, Nawaz, Shahzad, Wasim jnr, Shamsi, Arshad, Ismail

Analysis: This is not the Multan Sultans franchise of previous tournaments. They were sold and now play under the Rawalpindi banner. Sialkot Stallionz were expected to be a new team this season but the ownership changed their name to pinch the Sultans pedigree name. Sultans have quickly set about becoming a one-dimensional outfit by loading up on batting power. Top runscorer last season, Sahib Farhan, joins and should open the batting with Steve Smith. The bowling looks weak, however, with much depending on Tabraiz Shamsi.

Best play: Bet against them at the break when there is 170-plus on board.

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Peshawar Zalmi, 11/26.50

2025 finish: 5
Batting rank: 3
Bowling rank: 4
Top bat % last 2 years: Babar 47
Top bowler % last 2 years: Jamal 25 (8 matches)

Squad: Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, James Vince, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Mirza Tahir Baig, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Shoriful Islam

Possible XI: Babar, Vince, Kusal, Haris, Hardie, Samad, Bracewell, Iftikhar, Raza, Muqeem, Dahani

Analysis: Zalmi look likely to underwhelm although they will reckon the front three of Babar-Vince-Mendis will ooze class. That may be true. But dreamy cover drives don't win T20s. Where's the destructive, chaotic power? The middle- to lower-order could find themselves under pressure. And although Abdul Samad and Michael Bracewell could dovetail nicely we don't expect Zalmi to be bidding for glory.

Best play: The Babar top-bat win rate is more than enough.

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Quetta Gladiators, 11/26.50

2025 finish: Runners-up
Batting rank: 4
Bowling rank: 1
Top bat % last 2 years: Nawaz 27
Top bowler % last 2 years: Abrar 38

Squad: Saud Shakeel (c), Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamyl Hussain, Alzarri Joseph, Rilee Rossouw, Ahmed Daniyal, Jahanzaib Sultan, Jahandad Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Wasim Akram Jnr, Khan Zeb, Bismillah Khan, Saqib Khan, Brett Hampton, Sam Harper, Bevon Jacobs, Abrar Ahmed, Ben McDermott, Tom Curran, Spencer Johnson

Possible XI: Shakeel, McDermott, Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz, Nafay, Jacobs, Jahandad, T Curran, Minhas, Usman Tariq, Abrar

Analysis: Quetta won the ladder last season but couldn't get over the line in the final. They have replaced Finn Allen with Ben McDermott but the batting may struggle once again to keep pace with the firestarters. With the ball there could be balance issues. They have three excellent spiunners in Abrar Ahmed, usman Tariq and Arafat Minhas. But very little to get excited about in terms of home pacers. That means one of Bevon jacobs or Tom Curran may have to sit out to make room for Alzarri Joseph or (fitness permitting) Spencer Johnsoin. 

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Hyderabad Kingsmen, 11/26.50

2025 finish: na
Batting rank: na
Bowling rank: na
Top bat % last 2 years: Usman 40
Top bowler % last 2 years: Muhammad Ali 36

Squad: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Usman Khan, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Glenn Maxwell, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Hunain Shah, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Ali, Tayyab Arif, Ahmed Hussain, Ottniel Baartman

Possible XI: Ayub, Sadaqat, Kusal, Usman, Maxwell, Labuschagne, Irfan, Hassan Khan, Meredith, Muhammad Ali, Arif

Analysis: When a new franchise has the opportunity to start from scratch is Marnus Labuschagne really your top overseas pick? And do you make him captain? Time will tell but before a ball is bowled it is hard not to be underwhelmed. Also, where is the international-class spin? Glenn Maxwell's star is on the wane but at least Usman Khan is a good pick up. Getting him in as early as possible will be key. Maaz Sadaqat could take the tournament by storm in the blitzing role. 

Best play: Sadaqat may be a bolter for top tournament bat. 

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Rawalpindi Pindiz, 7/18.00

2025 finish: 6
Batting rank: 3
Bowling rank: 6
Top bat % last 2 years: Rizwan 27
Top bowler % last 2 years: Amir 35

Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Sam Billings, Jalat Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Dian Forrestor, Laurie Evans, Asif Afridi, Kamran Ghulam, Fawad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Shahzaib Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Saad Masood, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan

Possible XI:  Rizwan, Yasir, Fazal, Ghulam, Mitchell, Forrestor, Evans, Rishad, Amir, Zaman, Fawad

Analysis: This the Multan Sultans but with a new name and, er, loads of new names. Only Mohammad Rizwan, Yasir Khan and Kamran Ghulam remain. Recruitment has been strong domestically with Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan and Mohammad Amir forming the core bowling group. Banglaesh's Rishad Hossain might be the signing of the season while Daryl Mitchell makes sense. Jake Fraser-McGurk has pulled out and that's no bad thing. 

Best play: Rishad is underrated on top bowler markets.

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