Quetta Gladiators vs Lahore Qalandars Prediction

LHQ Team News

Mohammad Hafeez’s injury saw means a return to top-level cricket for Salman Butt, the disgraced former Pakistan captain who was banned and jailed for his role in the spot-fixing scandal. He made his first appearance against Multan Sultans, with AB de Villiers captaining the team. 

After their crushing defeat to Peshawar Zalmi, Butt was one of three players to slot in - Sandeep Lamichhane, available after the Big Bash League, and all-rounder David Wiese were also brought in, with Anton Devcich, Hardus Viljoen and Hassan Khan making way. Devcich could return in place of Brendan Taylor, who retired hurt last time out.

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Rahat Ali claimed 4-29, 3-19 and 1-9 in the first three matches to move past 70 T20 wickets in 60 appearances. Haris Rauf has also impressed, taking 4-23 in the win against Karachi Kings and returning tidy figures of 1-24 against Peshawar Zalmi.

Sandeep Lamichhane’s arrival will only bolster that bowling line-up even more – the Nepalese spinner having helped Melbourne Stars to the Big Bash League final, after earlier taking five wickets in three matches as Nepal beat the UAE in their three-match series.

It is the batsmen who need to impress now, however. AB de Villiers was the stand-out signing, and the South African is fresh from his brilliant form in the Mzansi Super League and Bangladesh Premier League - scoring an unbeaten century among his top innings in the latter. He hit 52 from 29 balls last time out.

Fakhar Zaman top-scored in that match, however, as he did in the first game too - he hit 65 against Islamabad United and has shared some useful partnerships with Sohail Akhtar at the top of the order. Last time out, he scored 63 from 35 balls.

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Lahore Qalandars posted 171/8 in their opening game against Islamabad United, of which Fakhar Zaman scored 65, but lost by five wickets in the final over despite Rahat Ali taking 4-29.

They then posted just 138/6 in their second game, only for Ali (3-19) and Haris Rauf (4-23) to bowl them to victory as they dismissed Karachi Kings for 116.

It was their turn to suffer a batting collapse in the third game, however – finishing 78 all out on their way to a seven-wicket defeat to Peshawar Zalmi.

The Qalandars' first taste of the Sharjah wicket came in their fourth game, taking on the Multan Sultans ahead of this match against in-form Quetta. Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets as the Sultans scored 200/6, but Fakhar Zaman (63), AB de Villiers (52*) and David Wiese (45*) led Lahore to a six-wicket win off the final ball.