Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars
Thursday 9 March, 14:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports
Team news
United have won three on the spin to go joint-top with Lahore on six wins apiece. They pipped Sultans by two wickets in a high-scoring thriller last time. They could do with Alex Hales finding some form, though.
Possible XI: Gurbaz, Hales, Munro, Shadab, Azam Khan, Faheem, Asif Ali, Mubasir, Wasim, Raees, Farooqi
Lahore produced a stinker of an effort against Zalmi last time out. Their famed bowling attack went round the park and their top order batted without purpose or aggression. Shaheen Shah Afridi did the unlikely double on the top bowler and batter market. Mirza Baig has been dropped for Shawaiz Irfan.
Possible XI: Irfan, Fakhar, Shafique, Billings, Talat, Afridi, Raze, Wiese, Rashid, Rauf, Zaman
Pitch report
In seven games at Rawalpindi, more than 200 has been breached four times. More than 170 has copped in six. The par line may never be set high enough. Still, batting first we'd rather Lahore got the opportunity to go big. Consistently United have been leaky with the ball and, Zalmi calamity aside, Lahore have not.
How to play
Lahore looked like they'd checked out against Zalmi. It was an alarming performance most likely caused by complacency because Multan need a whopping net run rate swing (not to mention two wins themselves and two defeats for Lahore) for Qalandars to go into the eliminator.
Man for man, however, Lahore are superior to United and they boast better data on the economy rates with bat and ball. It's slightly surprising therefore the market doesn't have a bigger gaps than 1.9310/11 versus 2.021/1.
Tops value
Hales has drifted to 16/5 following a poor run which stretched back to the second half of the ILT20. He averages only 17 against this possible Lahore attack. COlin Munro and Shadab Khan aren't setting the world alight, either. ANother reason to reckon Lahore are value. Azam Khan has an outstanding record, though, and is a bet at 5/1.