PSL 2019: Peshawar Zalmi bank on Hasan Ali against a reinvigorated Multan Sultans

Waseem Ahmed 20:21 27/02/2019
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  • Hasan Ali is a man in form. Image credit - @thePSLt20/Twitter.

    Fresh from a morale boosting win over defending Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions Islamabad United, Multan Sultans will look to take that momentum in their clash against Peshawar Zalmi on Thursday.

    The comprehensive six-wicket win over Islamabad has managed to lift Multan from bottom place but there is still some way to go.

    An excellent bowling display was at the heart of Multan’s win over Islamabad with Mohammad Ilyas, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Irfan and Dan Christian chipping in with important wickets.

    It was Christian however who was the star of the show with the Australian all-rounder backing up his three-wicket haul with the ball with a fine unbeaten cameo with the bat to see his side through.

    Christian coming into form bodes for the Sultans, especially in the absence of their star all-rounder Andre Russell who has joined up with the Windies squad for international duty. Their veteran all-rounder Shahid Afridi too looks like getting back to his best after a small injury layoff and the fact that he completed his quota of four overs against Islamabad will delight skipper Shoaib Malik.

    For Peshawar, it will be back-to-back games against Multan Sultans with the reverse fixture at Sharjah going their way. Darren Sammy and his men have recorded three victories from their five games so far and are only behind Quetta Gladiators in the points table.

    It has been Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali who has been leading the charge for Zalmi in the 2019 edition. The 24-year-old is leading the wicket-taking charts by some distance with 15 scalps in his five appearances which have come at a sensational average of just over seven and an economy-rate of less than six.

    The pacer was excellent in the previous win over Multan with figures of 4-17 and will be looking to do the same once again.

    While Hasan Ali has been the star with the ball for Peshawar, it is Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq who has set the tone with the bat. A late addition to the Zalmi squad, the left-hander has already created a big impression with two half-centuries in his four appearances.

    TEAM NEWS

    Peshawar Zalmi have lost the services of England duo Dawid Malan and Chris Jordan who have departed for the T20s series in the West Indies. In their stead, Peshawar have added Windies batsman Lendl Simmons and England pacer Tymal Mills as replacement.

    Multan, meanwhile, have not called up any replacements for Russell so far.

    LIKELY XIs

    Multan Sultans: Umar Siddiq (wk), James Vince, Johnson Charles, Shoaib Malik (c), Laurie Evans, Dan Christian, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Ilyas, Junaid Khan, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Irfan

    Peshawar Zalmi: Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal (wk), Lendl Simmons, Liam Dawson, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy (c), Umar Ali, Hasan Ali, Umaid Asid, Wahab Riaz, Sameen Gul

    Match starts at 15:30 UAE time

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