QUETTA GLADIATORS VS. LAHORE QALANDARS: PAK T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 23 | PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In the 23rd match of the Pak T20 League 2021, bottom-placed Quetta Gladiators are up against Lahore Qalandars at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening.
Quetta Gladiators remain at the bottom of the league table, having lost six of their seven matches so far, including their 2 previous fixtures since the resumption of the competition. Their most recent defeat came against Peshawar Zalmi, losing by 61 runs with none of their batters scoring more than 36 runs. Andre Russell and Faf du Plessis suffered concussions in the last week and a late call on whether they can play in this match will be made by the doctors. This leaves a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who will need his bowlers to step up if they are to win their second game in the competition.
After a shock loss to Islamabad United in their last match, Lahore Qalandars missed an opportunity to move top of the league table and will be looking to bounce back here. The Qalandars failed to take advantage with both bat and the ball at different points during the game, eventually losing out by 28 runs. Despite this defeat, they remain the best bowling attack in the competition and will be hoping that their batters can cash in against a Quetta side low on confidence.
With time running out fast for the Gladiators in this competition and a potential first place for the Qalandars, it promises to be a cracking game of T20 cricket in Abu Dhabi on this doubleheader Tuesday.
Match Details
- Match: Quetta Gladiators vs. Lahore Qalandars, Match 23
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Jun. 15, 2021, at 6:30 PM IST/5 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Quetta Gladiators
Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Jake Weatherald, Cameron Delport, Sarfaraz Ahmed (C & WK), Azam Khan, Jack Wildermuth, Mohammad Nawaz, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah
Lahore Qalandars
Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akthar (C), Muhammad Faizan, Mohammad Hafeez, Ben Dunk (WK), Tim David, Rashid Khan, James Faulkner, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal
Pitch & Weather Report
The weather is expected to be clear in Abu Dhabi during the match. The temperature will be around 38 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is becoming good to bat on. Shot selection for the batters will be crucial, given the large outfield. Pacers should get some swing and bounce early on, while spinners should get the ball to turn and grip before the dew sets in. The average first-innings score in the games played here this season has been 166 runs.
Chasing seems to be the trend in the tournament. With the pitch not likely to change much during the game, expect the captain winning the toss to opt to field first. A score of around 185 runs should be a competitive one here.
Top Fantasy Picks
Quetta Gladiators
- Sarfaraz Ahmed has been the only Quetta batter to score runs consistently in the competition this year. He has made 223 runs in seven matches at an average of 37.16 and a strike rate of 142.03. He was the top scorer for the team in the last match, scoring 36 runs off 28 balls.
- Jake Weatherald will be a key player for the struggling batting unit of the Gladiators. He scored 433 runs in Aus T20 League last season at an average of 36.08 and a strike rate of 141.04. He has scored 56 runs in his previous 2 innings in this competition.
- Mohammad Hasnain has been one of the few Quetta bowlers who has found some success in this year’s competition. He has picked seven wickets in 7 matches at an average of 29.71 and an economy rate of 8.37. He will look to continue taking wickets for his side here.
Lahore Qalandars
- Sohail Akhtar has been a key contributor at the top of the order for Lahore Qalandars, with 123 runs in 7 matches at a strike rate of 113.88. He has made 81 runs in his last three innings played, with a 30 and 40, both coming against Islamabad.
- James Faulkner has been outstanding for Lahore since the resumption of the league, picking up 8 wickets at an average of 9.25 and an economy rate of 6.16. He has also scored 23 runs with the bat. His best figures of 3 for 19 came against Islamabad in the last match.
- Rashid Khan had a quiet game last time out after match-winning performances in the two games since the resumption. Though he did not get a wicket against Islamabad, he has taken 7 wickets in 5 matches and is good enough to make a comeback in this match.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeepers: S Ahmed, B Dunk
- Batsmen: J Weatherald, U Khan, S Akhtar, T David
- All-rounder: J Wildermuth, J Faulkner
- Bowlers: M Hasnain, R Khan, H Rauf
- Captain: R Khan/J Faulkner
- Vice Captain: J Wildermuth/S Akhtar
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can make your match prediction and play fantasy cricket matches. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
