The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 playoffs are here. And it starts with a Monday double-header, the Qualifier for a direct shot at the final spot, followed by the Eliminator 1. (More Cricket News)
Things get simpler, but the stakes for bigger. League winners, Islamabad United face second-placed, Multan Sultans in the Qualifier in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The winners play in the final.
In the final league match of PSL 6, which also served as the dress rehearsal for the Qualifier, the Shadab Khan-led United beat Mohammad Rizwan's Sultans by four wickets. That was United's fifth win on the trot and stopped Sultans winning-run to four. The win also helped United complete a league double over Sultans this season. In March, United beat Sultans by three wickets. They also lead the head-to-head record 5-3.
United are bidding to become the first team to play in three PSL finals. And they have a 100 percent record in the finals, winning the inaugural final in the 2016 and 2018 title clash against Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi respectively.
In contrast, Sultans are chasing their maiden final. This is their fourth season in Pakistan's T20 cricket league.
Match and telecast details
Match: Qualifier of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 between Islamabad United and Multan Sultans
Date: June 21 (Monday), 2021
Time: 6:30 PM IST/ 5:00 PM local
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
TV Channels: Sony Pictures Network
Live Streaming: SonyLIV
Playing XIs in the last match
Islamabad United (vs Multan Sultans): Umar Amin, Brandon King, Muhammad Akhlaq (wk), Shadab Khan (c), Iftikhar Ahmed, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Ali Khan, Fawad Ahmed.
Multan Sultans (vs Islamabad United): Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Sohaib Maqsood, Johnson Charles, Rilee Rossouw, Hammad Azam, Usman Qadir, Blessing Muzarabani, Shahnawaz Dhani, Mohammad Umar, Sohail Khan.
Squads
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (c), Ahmed Saifi Abdullah, Ali Khan, Akif Javed, Asif Ali, Brandon King, Colin Munro, Fawad Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Akhlaq, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir, Umar Amin, Usman Khawaja, Zafar Gohar and Zeeshan Zameer.
Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Asif Afridi, Hammad Azam, Imran Tahir, Imran Khan Snr, Johnson Charles, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Umar, Blessing Muzarabani, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rilee Rossouw, Shahnawaz Dhani, Shan Masood, Shimron Hetmyer (partially available), Sohaib Maqsood, Sohaibullah, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Usman Qadir and Muhammad Waseem.
