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Keep faith with trends
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Shadab and Imad catch eye
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United value batting first
Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United
Thursday 22 February, 14.00
TV: Live on Sky743
Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United team news
Quetta are two from two. They may only require another three wins from eight to make the play-offs. Wanindu Hasaranga is still with Sri Lanka so Quetta have the potential to get stronger when he returns. Currently they consider Will Smeed surplus to requirements.
Possible XI: Roy, Shakeel, Nafay, Rossouw, Sarfraz, Rutherford, Hosein, Wasim, Hasnain, Amir, Abrar
Islamabad had their aspirations checked in a disappointing defeat by Multan. Having beaten Lahore in game one they had a great chance to lay down a marker. But the batting flopped as they posted only 144.
Agha Salman is a model of consistency, though, with two fifties so far. Shadab Khan appears to have a floating role with the bat.
Possible XI: Munro, Hales, Salman, Cox, Azam, Imad, Shadab, Faheem, Naseem, Ubaid, Mills
Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United pitch report
In Lahore 20 of the last 29 have been won by the team batting first and 18 first-innings have busted 180 or more. Trends were busted for Zalmi-Karachi, though, on Wednesday when the former managed a pathetic 154.
Batting first 180 should be the absolute minimum. The par line may be checked somewhat because of game six and we might be able to go long in the mid-180s.
Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United match odds
Islamabad are shaping up to be 1.855/6 favourites for this one. It's the sort of price pre-tournament that one would have salivated over.
This could be a watershed game for the competition. If Quetta win again and United are proved flaky, we will feel uncomfortable about the poitential for a changing of the guard.
Still, it is worth putting faith in United to come good, particularly if they bat first. They still boast a superior balance to almost every team in the competition and it should pay off.
Islamabad have won four of the last five on the head-to-head although the odd one out was failing to defend 199 on this ground in 2022.
Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United player bets
Alex Hales has been boosted to 10/34.33 for top United bat but we can't play with a two-year win rate at a lowly 17%. Colin Munro was our bet last time and although he's been cut from 7/24.50 to 11/43.75, there remains an edge of just under 2%. There's better value now, though.
We do need to mention Imad Wasim here. Imad has a win rate of 23.8% in the last two years, albeit batting at No 5 on five outings for previous franchise Quetta. It was encouraging that he batted No 6 last time so the 16/117.00 could be worth it.
Shadab Khan has 10 wickets in his last four versus Quetta. Sportsbook go 4/15.00 that he delivers on a 22.7% win rate.