Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen has struggled for form in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Getty

Quetta Gladiators take on the Lahore Qalandars in the 18<sup>th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 16 February, Tuesday.

Where to watch

The match will start at 3.30pm GMT. Live coverage of the game is available in the UK on Prime TV.

Overview

The Pakistan Super League (PSL), resumes after a rest day on Tuesday, with the Quetta Gladiators taking on Lahore Qalandars at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Table toppers Quetta have already qualified for the play-offs while the Lahore outfit need to win in order to stay in contention for a spot in the knock-outs.

Quetta Gladiators' five-wicket win over the Karachi Kings on Saturday ensured that Sarfraz Ahmed's men became the first team to reach the play-off stage. The Quetta outfit, along with Peshawar Zalmi have been the most impressive team in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is surprising considering no one gave them a chance at the start of the league.

It has helped that their top-order batsmen have been in fine form; Ahmed Shehzad, Luke Wright and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed have been consistent while Mohammad Nawaz has shouldered the bowling responsibility impressively. The top-order's consistency has ensured that failure from the other batsman has not been an issue, but should they fall cheaply then Quetta will be under a lot of pressure. Marquee player Kevin Pietersen is having a shocker of a tournament and this game is the last chance to bat himself into form.

Their opponents, Lahore Qalandars, come into this clash knowing that they need to win their final two games in order to qualify for the knock-out stages. That they still have a chance of qualifying despite being rooted at the bottom of the table, shows just how competitive the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been.

In Cameron Delport, Twenty20 cricket has unearthed a new star. The South African has put in some impressive performances and along with Umar Akmal has carried the Qalandars batting in the league. The management will be disappointed with a number of players, in particular, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo. The superstars of the shorter version of the game have not showed up so far, but with two games left they still have time to make their mark. With the fate of Lahore in their own hands, expect them to come out all guns blazing.

Prediction

Lahore Qalandars to win

Betting Odds (888sport)

  • Quetta Gladiators to win: 8/11
  • Lahore Qalandars to win:11/10

Team News

Quetta Gladiators

Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Kevin Pietersen, Ahmed Shehzad, Anwar Ali, Luke Wright, Elton Chigumbura, Zulfiqar Babar, Umar Gul, Bilal Asif, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Nawaz, Saad Nasim, Mohammad Nabi, Akbar-ur-Rehman, Bismillah Khan, Kumar Sangakkara, Rameez Raja jnr. Aizaz Cheema

Lahore Qalandars

Squad: Azhar Ali (c), Chris Gayle, Mukhtar Ahmed, Cameron Delport, Sohaib Maqsood, Naved Yasin, Imran Butt, Abdul Razzaq, Hammad Azam, Zohaib Khan, Dwayne Bravo, Kevon Cooper, Mohammad Rizwan, Umar Akmal, Yasir Shah, Zafar Gohar, Ajantha Mendis, Zia-ul-Haq, Adnan Rasool, Ehsan Adil

Dubai