Lahore Qalandars take on Islamabad United in the 14th match of the ongoing second season of Pakistan Super League in what will be the last group game in Sharjah on Monday.
Brendon McCullum's Lahore have been the most inconsistent side having not been able to stitch two consecutive wins so far. Their batting unit, which was bowled out for 59 by Peshawar Zalmi on 12 February, posted 200 on Thursday against Quetta Gladiators but on both occasions the team ended up on the losing side.
England opener Jason Roy has been in good form for Lahore scoring two half-centuries in the five matches they have played but the rest of the batting unit has been unpredictable. Skipper McCullum's poor form with the bat has hurt the team the most as the former New Zealand captain has not scored a run in their last three games, including two no-scores.
However, Lahore will be heading into today's game on a positive note as they have already beaten Islamabad in their early-season match. They will be better served if McCullum bats higher-up the order and leads from the front with the bat.
On the other hand, the defending champions are bidding to win back-to-back matches after their solid five-wicket win against Peshwar Zalmi on Saturday. Dwayne Smith has been in good form for Islamabad at the top and he scored his second half-century of the season to help his team gun down a 137-run target.
While Sam Billings and skipper Misbah-ul-Haq himself along with Smith are performing consistently, the team would want more from their wicketkeeper batsman Brad Haddin, who has had four single-digit scores after his match-winning 73 in the season opener.
With their in-form bowlers Mohammad Sami, Ruman Raees and Shadab Khan, Misbah's men are well-placed to skittle the inconsistent Lahore line-up and successfully avenge their early-season defeat.
TV Schedule
Pakistan: Ten Sports, PTV, Geo Super
Sri Lanka: Ten Sports, CSN
UK: Prime TV
West Indies: Flow TV
Bangladesh: Gazi TV
UAE: OSN Sports
Team News
Lahore
Possible XI: McCullum (c), Roy, Zaman, Akmal, Rizwan (wk), Elliott, Tanvir, Narine, Bhatti, Yasir, Irfan
Islamabad
Possible XI: Misbah (c), Billings, Smith, Asif, Haddin (wk), Watson, Imran, Amad, Ajmal, Sami, Irfan
