QUETTA GLADIATORS VS. PESHAWAR ZALMI: PAK T20 LEAGUE 2021, MATCH 19 | PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In the 19th match of the Pak T20 League 2021, Quetta Gladiators are up against Peshawar Zalmi at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday evening.
It was a disappointing match for Quetta Gladiators in their return to action last night, as they lost by 10 wickets to Islamabad United after being bowled out for a lowly 133. With the likes of Faf du Plessis, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Andre Russell in the batting line-up, the team would have hoped for many more runs. Only Jake Weatherald and Azam Khan showed fight in the middle and took the team to a reasonable score. Moreover, the bowling effort was not upto the mark, which let Islamabad chase down the target in exactly 10 overs without losing any wicket. Few changes can be expected in the playing XI in this game.
Their opponents, Peshawar Zalmi, are also coming into the game with a loss as they failed to chase down 170 in their last match against Lahore Qalandars. They are placed 6th in the points table with 3 wins and 3 defeats from their 6 matches. After the openers departed early, the experienced Shoaib Malik held the batting together, but it didn’t prove to be enough, as Rashid Khan weaved his magic and dismissed five of the Peshawar batters. The positive for them is that all their frontline bowlers took at least one wicket each against Lahore, which should bode well heading into this match.
The Gladiators will be looking to stay alive in the tournament with a crucial win, while Zalmi will look to climb higher up the points table. All in all, an exciting contest awaits us with two valuable points up for grabs in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Match Details
- Match: Quetta Gladiators vs. Peshawar Zalmi, Match 19
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Jun. 12, 2021, at 9:30 PM IST/8 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Quetta Gladiators
Usman Khan, Faf du Plessis, Jake Weatherald, Sarfaraz Ahmed (C & WK), Azam Khan, Andre Russell, Mohammad Nawaz, Jack Wildermuth, Zahid Mehmood, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah
Peshawar Zalmi
Kamran Akmal (WK), Imam-ul-Haq, David Miller, Shoaib Malik, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Wahab Riaz (C), Umaid Asif, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Irfan
Pitch & Weather Report
The weather is expected to be clear in Abu Dhabi during the match. The temperature will be around 33 degrees during the game.
The pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium is a little two-paced. Combined with a large outfield, scoring will be a big challenge for any side. Spinners will get plenty of help during the game, while pacers will have to rely on their variations for wickets. The average first-innings score in the last four games played here has been 155 runs.
The wicket has played much better in the second innings, making the batting relatively easy. Expect the captain winning the toss to opt to field first. A score of around 180 runs should be a competitive one here.
Top Fantasy Picks
Quetta Gladiators
- Faf du Plessis' return to T20 cricket was not a good one, as he got dismissed for only 5 in the last game against Islamabad. He is a key player in this Gladiators line-up and needs to make big runs with the bat. He is coming here with good form from the Indian T20 League 2021.
- Azam Khan has played several decent cameos but is yet to make a half century in the tournament. He has scored 124 runs at a strike rate of 136.26. In the last match, he was one of the only two players to cross the 20-run mark with the bat.
- Zahid Mahmood has been good for the Gladiators in the tournament, picking up 6 wickets in five matches at an average of 27.33 and an economy rate of 9.64. He went wicketless for the first time in this year’s tournament and will look to bounce back strong here.
Peshawar Zalmi
- Kamran Akmal is a dangerous batsman at the top of the order for Peshawar. He is the second-highest run scorer over the six seasons of the league, making 1607 runs in five matches this season at an average of 27.23 and a strike rate of 136.3, including 3 centuries.
- Shoaib Malik was brilliant with the bat in the last game, almost taking his side to the target single-handedly. He made 73 runs off 48 balls, including 7 boundaries and 4 sixes, and will look to continue his good run here.
- Wahab Riaz is the highest wicket taker for Zalmi this season, with 9 wickets at an average of 20.33 and an economy rate of 9.15. He has best figures of 4 for 17 in the tournament and took 2 for 54 against Quetta earlier in the season.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeepers: A Khan, K Akmal
- Batsmen: Imam-ul-Haq, S Malik, F du Plessis, J Weatherald
- All-rounders: F Allen
- Bowlers: Z Mahmood, M Hasnain, W Riaz, M Imran
- Captain: W Riaz/K Akmal
- Vice Captain: A Khan/F du Plessis
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, 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!
