Match: Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars
Date: 11 February, Saturday
Time: 7:30pm SGT/5pm IST/11:30am GMT
Competition: Pakistan Super League 2017
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
TV Channel: There is no live TV coverage in Singapore.
Live streaming: Cricket Gateway and PSL Youtube channel will provide live coverage online.
Overview
Islamabad United got off to a flyer in the ongoing second season of the Pakistan Super League by crushing Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets on the opening day. The defending champions sent a clear message to the rest of the teams in the league by chasing a revised 174-run target in just 17.4 overs.
However, they have been rocked by corruption scandal early in the season as two of their players - Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif - have reportedly been provisionally suspended. While the latter did not play the opening match, the former has been a crucial part of the team's plan since the advent of PSL. Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, with his experience of leading at the international level, should be able to shift the team's focus from off-field disturbances. Islamabad also have enough firepower in their batting unit to cope up with the absence of big-hitting Sharjeel.
Misbah though would want a better show from their bowlers who conceded 190 to Peshawar in the first match. Shane Watson picked up four wickets but was taken to the cleaners along with spinners Saeed Ajmal and Imran Khalid.
On the other hand, Brendon McCullum's Lahore Qalandars lost their opening clash to Quetta Gladiators yesterday but their bowlers' performance should please the skipper. 21-year-old pacer Mohammad Irfan starred with three wickets and got able support from veterans Sohail Tanvir and Sunil Narine to restrict Sarfraz Ahmad's team to 136 in 20 overs.
It is important for McCullum and Co. to buckle up and let the batting unit fire. While the skipper and England import Jason Roy got starts, none of the others were able to get going on the slow Dubai surface. Better contributions from Umar Akmal and Grant Elliott can make a huge difference to Lahore, who will be eyeing to bounce back from yesterday's 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
Islamabad
Possible XI: Misbah (c), Billings, Smith, Asif, Haddin (wk), Watson, Imran, Amad, Ajmal, Sami, Irfan
Lahore
Possible XI: McCullum (c), Roy, Zaman, Akmal, Rizwan (wk), Elliott, Tanvir, Narine, Bhatti, Yasir, Irfan
