Analysis for the match.

After beating the Karachi Kings in an epic contest, Islamabad United is set to register yet another win in the latest edition of PSL 2023 by locking horns against the most depleted side of this tournament - Quetta Gladiators at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Ahead of the mentioned clash, let us look at the predicted playing XI, team news, weather report, and much more.

Islamabad United is currently placed third in the points table with 6 points registered against their name in 5 games. This team has played the fewest game in this edition of PSL yet have managed to secure three wins. A highly dominant win could even send them in second place, behind Lahore Qalandars.

Quetta Gladiators started this tournament with a loss, and have unarguably gotten worse as we approach the fourth week of the competition. Currently, they are placed last in the points table with only 1 win in 6 games, and another loss could put their hopes of making it into the top 4 berths in serious jeopardy.

Must see point.

1). Islamabad United are a better balanced side between the two

2). Quetta Gladiators have been dismal record in the tournament and will be running low on confidence

3). Quetta Gladiators are a little too over-reliant on their bowling to deal the bulk of the damage

Match Prediction: ISU to win the match.

1). If ISU won the toss and opted to bowl first, QTG could score 160-180 runs.

2). If QTG won the toss and opted to bowl first, ISU could score 180-200 runs.

Secondary Predictions.

1). Azam Khan total runs - over 19.5 runs.

Azam Khan took the center stage for Islamabad United to bring them back to winning ways in Match 19. The hardcore power hitter slammed 70 runs off just 40 balls, played at a strike of 180.

2). Will Smeed total runs - Over 20.5 runs

Will Smeed was the leading run scorer for the Gladiators in their previous game as the entire batting unit collapsed. He scored 32 runs whilst opening the batting innings.

3). Hasan Ali total wickets - Over 1.5 wickets.

Having emerged as the best bowler for the team so far, Ali has also taken 8 wickets in PSL 2023 but has featured in only 4 games. Moreover, his variation with the new ball holds mighty importance for Islamabad United, we predict him to take over 1.5 wickets in Match 21.

Match Preview.

In their previous match against the Karachi Kings, Shadab Khan's team put on a strong performance, despite a poor showing from the bowlers who gave up numerous runs. The batting lineup, however, stepped up and secured a victory with six wickets in hand. As their opponents are currently struggling, Khan's team is looking to win this game and advance on the points table.

The addition of Alex Hales and Colin Munro adds to the team's already impressive batting strength, and they will be aiming to set up a big opening wicket stand. Rassie van der Dussen, Faheem Ashraf, and Azam Khan also did well in the middle order and are sure to bring confidence to the team. With deep batting, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, and Tom Curran are also expected to contribute runs.

However, the team will need to improve their performance on the bowling front. In this game, Hasan Ali and Rumman Raees will need to bowl tight spells with the new ball. In the last game, Faheem Ashraf and Tom Curran leaked runs, so they need to improve their lines. Shadab Khan and Mubasir Khan will also need to utilize the conditions and keep the scoring rate in check.

The upcoming match between Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United is one of the most anticipated matches of the 2023 Pakistan Super League season. The match is scheduled for March 5th, 2023, and both teams are expected to bring their A-game to the field.

Despite coming off a loss in their last match as well, the Quetta Gladiators are entering the match with a renewed sense of confidence after their superb bowling performance against Lahore Qalandars. However, they will have to face off against Islamabad United, who are currently at the third spot of the league table. 

The Gladiators have been in shockingly poor form and would want to arrest the slide and move up. Despite this, the Quetta Gladiators are not to be underestimated. Led by captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, the team has shown impressive intent with the ball in recent matches. Their batting, however, has disappointed big time and unless they can get it right, they would prove to be another easy opponents for Islamabad United. 

Match details.

Time -  Mar 5th, 07:30 pm, IST.

Venue - Pindi Club Ground - Rawalpindi, Pakistan 

Pitch reports.

Unlike other pitches used in the tournament, the pitch in Rawalpindi allows the fast bowlers to get a good pace and bounce, making it tough for the batsmen to settle early on.

Team News.

Islamabad United>>

Given how the fast bowlers were beaten all around the park in the previous game, it is unlikely that Shadab Khan makes any change after winning the last contest.After losing their opening game of PS 2023, the United unit has come back to life by winning 3 of the next 4 showdowns. Their latest win came against the Kings by 6 wickets.

Possible XI - Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Rassie van der Dussen, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, Hasan Ali, Mubasir Khan, Rumman Raees

Quetta Gladiators>>

After sitting out the previous game for the Gladiators, Jason Roy will most likely be included in the starting XI in Match 21.Quetta Gladiators is currently on a four-game losing streak wherein their last loss came against the Lahore Qalandars by 17 runs.

Possible XI - Yasir Khan, Martin Guptill, Will Smeed, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Odean Smith, Umaid Asif, Naseem Shah, Naveen-ul-Haq