Pakistan Super League 2023: Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators – 18th Match Preview and Updates

Cricket

Lahore Qalandars will be looking for their fourth straight victory when they face Quetta Gladiators at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. So far, the home team has won both games at this venue, scoring 200 or more on both occasions while batting first.

The Quetta Gladiators, who are coming off a hat-trick of defeats, have already lost to Lahore in their previous meeting. The Gladiators have conceded 220 and 198 runs bowling first in their last two games.

This ground’s pitch is also batting-friendly, and the home team is in excellent form. There is no escaping the fact that we are in the midst of a recession. Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, and Mohammad Hafeez will be key players in QTG’s comeback.

Lahore Qalandars, on the other hand, are enjoying the consistency of their batters, so much so that they reached a 200-run score in the last game without a single fifty.

The 18th Match between Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators will take place on March 2nd, 2023 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Match Details to Note

Match: Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators, 18th Match, Pakistan Super League, 2023

Date: March 02, 2023 (Thursday)

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators

Lahore Qalandars (Match Odds – 1.60):

Preview:

Shaheen Afridi, who has been costly in the last two games in Lahore, will be pleased with the team’s overall performance. The Qalandars have dominated every aspect of the game. David Wiese and Rashid Khan led the bowling effort in their recent 110-run win over ISU.

In defence of a 200-run total, Lahore Qalandars bowled ISU out for 90 runs. Even though it is a rare occurrence, nothing should be taken away from Lahore’s batting consistency. The Qalandars posted a 190+ total without a single fifty in the innings for the second time in three innings.

While Mirza Baig, Fakhar Zaman, and Shafique have all been in good form at the top, Sikandar Raza’s strike rate in the lower order has continued to impress.

Sam Billings recently replaced Shai Hope and made an immediate impact with significant contributions at impressive strike rates. This batting lineup’s lower middle order is strong and has a big impact.

Raza is also important with the ball and can provide a couple of good overs as well as a breakthrough. Despite his high price tag, Shaheen Afridi is known for his ability to move the new ball and find early breakthroughs.

Full Squad:

Fakhar Zaman, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Dawid Wiese, Hussain Talat, Haris Rauf Abdullah Shafique, Liam Dawson, Sikander Raza, Ahmad Daniyal, Dilbar Hussain, Harry Brook, Kamran Ghulam, Mirza Tahir Baig, Shawaiz Irfan, Zaman Khan, Jalat Khan, Jordan Cox

Players to watch out for:

Fakhar Zaman

The 32-year-old left-handed batter has been in excellent form throughout the tournament, hitting 132 runs in two innings at Gaddafi Stadium.

David Wiese

The Namibian all-rounder was named Player of the Match after scoring 3-17 against Islamabad United.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Only Ihsanullah has more wickets than Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, who will be looking to rebound after going wicketless on Monday.

Possible Playing XI:

Fakhar Zaman, Mirza Tahir Baig, Abdullah Shafique, Sam Billings (wk), Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

Quetta Gladiators (Match Odds – 2.35):

Preview:

With the kind of batting lineup Quetta have got, one could expect them to top the points table. However, the Gladiators’ failure to produce stars has kept them at the bottom of the table, with only one win in five games.

The top order is as good as it gets, thanks to Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, and Will Smeed. And then Mohammad Hafeez and Sarfaraz Ahmed in the middle followed by the big-hitting Iftikhar Ahmed at number 5 as the finisher makes it a solid-looking lineup.

Unfortunately, the performances have not been consistent, and when someone does get going, they are not supported by others. In the previous match, Hafeez scored 48 runs off 26 balls while chasing 221 runs. However, QTG lost their top three for only 26 runs in the run chase.

Sarfaraz and Iftikhar also contributed, but it wasn’t enough. Martin Guptill has a wealth of international experience that he must apply to his game. Iftikhar Ahmed was in sublime form prior to the start of the PSL and should be looking to regain his form.

Mohammad Nawaz is also a valuable asset in the lower order, capable of hitting big shots and making late-game runs. Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Odean Smith, who lead the pace attack, have not been particularly successful recently.

And they’re coming to Lahore to play in even more difficult conditions, where the pitch is extremely helpful to batters.

Full Squad:

Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed, Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf

Players to watch out for:

Martin Guptill

New Zealand’s experienced right-handed opener made a golden duck in the previous match but has already scored a century in this year’s tournament.

Iftikhar Ahmed

The 32 year old middle-order batsman has now scored over 4000 T20 runs. He scored 39 runs off 27 balls in the previous match and will enjoy batting on this wicket.

Mohammad Hasnain

Despite conceding 52 runs in four overs against Islamabad United, the right-arm fast bowler took his eighth wicket in four games in the most recent match.

Possible Playing XI:

Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, Will Smeed, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Odean Smith, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Aimal Khan

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Top Team Batsmen

Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, and Sam Billings are our batting picks for the Lahore Qalandars. Shafique top scored with 45 runs in the previous match, following up his 75-run knock against Peshawar Zalmi in his first appearance of the season. Billings has hit 47 not out and 33 in two innings so far in the tournament.

Martin Guptill, Will Smeed, and Iftikhar Ahmed are our batting picks for the Lahore Qalandars. Smeed, 21, has a highest score of 101 not out in this format and only plays white-ball cricket. In the final innings, Ahmed hit three fours and two sixes.

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Top Team Bowlers

For the Lahore Qalandars, we recommend Shaheen Shah Afridi, David Wiese, and Rashid Khan with the ball. In the previous game, Wiese dismissed Colin Munro, Shadab Khan, and Azam Khan. Khan had an incredible 2-8 from three overs against Islamabad United.

Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Odean Smith are our bowling options for the Quetta Gladiators. Smith is a white-ball specialist who has four wickets in the last two games. Shah has picked up a wicket in three of the last four matches.

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Head to Head

In the PSL head to head, Lahore Qalandars currently lead Quetta Gladiators 8-7 and have won six of the last eight meetings between the two teams.

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Head to Head Stats in T20s

	Matches Played	LAH Won	QUE Won	Tie	NR
Overall	15	8	7	0	0
Last 5	5	3	2	0	0

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Toss Prediction

Lahore chose to bat first and won by a large margin both times at this venue. Batting first teams have won 21 of the 34 domestic T20s played on this ground. Despite having a deep batting lineup with big-hitting players in the lower order, the Gladiators will not be chasing given their current form. Both teams would be eager to bat first and put up a large enough total.

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Pitch Report

Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the season’s third match. It is a high-scoring venue, with a domestic T20 average first-inning score of 176 runs. Qalandars batted first and scored 200 and 241 runs in their last two outings here. To ensure a winning total, the team batting first should aim for 200+.

As evidenced by the last two games played here, the pitch is excellent for batting. The in-form Qalandars will face the Gladiators, who have great batting potential, in another high-scoring thriller. The sky will be partly cloudy, with a high temperature of 27 degrees Celsius.

Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators Prediction

The top team takes on the bottom team. It appears to be a simple choice. Lahore has consistent batters, a deep lineup, and the advantage of playing at home. Quetta Gladiators, on the other hand, lack partnerships and their bowlers are out of form. Nonetheless, the Quetta batting order has a lot of potential, with some of the biggest T20 stars in the lineup.

The QTG stars could stage a comeback on their best day, playing on a batting-friendly surface. However, it appears that LHQ will have the upper hand in the contest for the time being, and thus they begin as favourites in our match prediction. Check out the odds at Cricbaba!

Lahore Qalandars is the favourite to beat Quetta Gladiators at the odds of 1.60.