Pakistan Super League Tips Matches 24 and 25: 50/1 top-bat gamble

• Lahore still tricky for batting

• Foursome unders strategy

• Owen promoted to open for Zalmi

• Sultans in dreadful form

• Jordan still value at big price

Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings
Sunday 4 May, 16:00
TV: live on Sky Sports

Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings PSLT20 tips

Lahore are 1.845/6 with Kings 2.166/5 on a Gaddafi Stadium surface which continues to be difficult to bat on. On Friday and Saturday there were first-innings scores of 143 and 157 (both chased) bringing the average from nine matches (unaffected by rain) to just 160.

Another tired and tricky surface awaits these teams surely. Given the fact the wicket is a leveller it is difficult to gauge respective teams' strengths, or weaknesses, currently.  It will be interesting to see whether fresh tracks are being saved for the play-offs and final. Surely the ground staff have kept a couple back for the showpieces?

The innings runs markets are, of course, wise to it. The unders play on the Exchange is at 157.5. It is very hard to say that is not short enough given the stat above. Where there might be an angle is on total fours. We started the leg of the tournament at Gaddafi expecting a runfest because of its history with fours the big edge. 

But Sportsbook haven't really adjusted the line. They offer unders 30.5 at 10/111.91. In the nine games so far (not including the washout), that would have won eight times if a seller. 

In terms of players to follow, David Warner is approaching the win zone for top Karachi bat at 13/53.60. For Lahore, Rishad Hossain has been strangely absent from their XI. he was tearing up the league only to disappear. There is, of course, no word on illness or fitness given these franchise leagues exist in a vacuum but he remains with the squad according to social media in the last few days.

He's not a bad option at 35/136.00 to win top bat bearing in mind that low scores win at this venue for 0.25pts. Tom Curran is being preferred at the moment but at 22/123.00 and carded at No 9 it's not quite big enough. 

Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi
Monday 5 May, 16:00
TV: live on Sky Sports

Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi PSLT20 Tips

Zalmi are 1.875/6 to beat a dreadful Multan side who have already been eliminated. They may be pleased, too, that this match is not in Lahore but instead at Multan where batting, in two games at least, has been good.

Sultans posted 228 against Lahore for their only win and Islamabad chased 168 in 17.1 overs. Zalmi are still in the hunt for the play-offs because they have played only seven games. But they need consistency now. 

Confidence is at least up after they took down United by six wickets last time out. They made an interesting change in their batting order, moving up Aussie Mitch Owen to open alongside Saim Ayub. Babar Azam moved to No 3.

It would be smart to unleash Owen, star of the Big Bash, on a probable flat Multan wicket. Owen is 4/15.00 for top bat for Zalmi but the 5/61.84 that he breaches 19.5 runs could be the best option. Given his striking he really won't need to hang around for very long.

With runs expected, we were going to leave our strategy for backing lower-order top bats in Lahore. But we make an exception for a dreadful Multan line-up. Chris Jordan, who ran out of partners last time, is up to50/151.00 so we will have another crack. 

Now read more Cricket tips and previews here!