FANTASY PREVIEW
Follow UsIslamabad United will look to cement their place at the top of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 table with a win against Multan Sultans on Saturday in match 30 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Multan, who are on eight points from eight games, needs to win their last two matches to qualify for the play-offs. It will be a big task for Mohammad Rizwan-leg side against an in-form Islamabad which has won four matches on the trot.
PSL HEAD-TO-HEAD
Overall: 7 | Multan - 3 | Islamabad - 4
Last five matches: Multan - 3 | Islamabad - 2
Stats updated until June 17, 2021.
SUGGESTED TEAM
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GROUND DETAILS AND TEAM COMBINATION
The Sheikh Zayed Stadium has so far hosted 13 encounters this season and the batsmen here have scored runs at an average of 25.8 and have lost a wicket every 18.1 balls. After offering tricky slow pitches at the beginning of the second leg, batsmen have finally been able to free their arms as seen on Thursday and Friday where teams have scored above 160 in five of the six innings.
Pacers have claimed 67.7 percent of the wickets so far in the second leg and have been slightly more expensive with an economy of 8.4 and strike rate of 20.5. Spinners, on the other hand, have claimed 40 off 124 wickets so far with a better economy of 8.3 and a better strike rate of 20.1 balls per dismissal. It is better to have one or two leg-spinners in the side as they claimed 24 wickets and have the best strike rate of 16.
CAPTAIN
Colin Munro is the leading run-scorer in the second leg of the PSL 2021 with 220 runs from four matches and with 73 percent of the 121 balls he had faced being hit for boundaries. The Kiwi left-hander has been unplayable at the top of the order with more fireworks expected from him against Multan.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Munro will score 42-62 runs in this match.
X-FACTORS
Usman Khawaja had looked uncomfortable at the beginning of the Abu Dhabi leg but has rocketed to third in the run-scorers list with innings of 41, 12 and 105 while providing ample support to his opening partner Colin Munro.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Khawaja will score 34-50 runs in this match.
Imran Tahir's prowess as a strike bowler was evident in the match against Quetta Gladiators when he picked up three wickets without conceding a run off his first 8 balls. The South African is also effective with containing runs in the middle of the innings on a surface which has been helpful for wrist spinners.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Tahir will pick up 2-3 wickets in this match.
Johnson Charles is the perfect T20 batsman who can change the momentum of the innings within few balls. He has a wide range of shots besides his ability to muscle the ball as shown in his 47 off 24 against Quetta which took Multan from slowing down at 129/4 in the 15th over to 183/5 in 20 overs.
Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Charles will score 34-52 runs in this match.
