Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi's Peshawar Zalmi are the favourites to win the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL) Getty

Peshawar Zalmi take on Quetta Gladiators in the first play-off qualifier of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 19 February, Friday.

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 first qualifying final of the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL), sees two in-form sides in the Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators face-off. The advantage of winning the first qualifier is that you get two extra days of rest, with the other finalist set to play three games in a span of three to four days.

The favourites to win the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL), Peshawar Zalmi have lived up to their billing, cruising past the group stages, losing just twice in eight games. Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Hafeez have shepherded the batting while the bowling led by the impressive Wahab Riaz have played their part. In fact, Riaz is leading the bowling charts with 12 wickets, while Mohammad Asghar, Shaun Tait, Junaid Khan and skipper Afridi having chipped in at important times.

Zalmi will be missing Tamim Iqbal for their all-important clash, with the batsman flying back to join the Bangladesh squad for the Asia Cup. However, they have a replacement in Brad Hodge. The Australian batsman showed just why he is so valued, scoring 85 not out off 45 balls against Karachi Kings in his first game of the tournament.

Unlike Peshawar, their opponents Quetta Gladiators were not supposed to qualify for the knock-out stages, if experts are to be believed. Perceived as being the weakest team in the league, Quetta have surprised everyone with their performances, losing just two games so far. What has been impressive about the Quetta outfit is that they have played as a team, with almost everyone contributing at important times.

Coming into this game on the back of some impressive performances, the Gladiators will be a little worried, as they will be missing two important players in Luke Wright and Mohammad Nabi. Who replaces these two players will be a question the Quetta management will have to ponder over.

Prediction

Peshawar Zalmi to win

Betting Odds (betway)

  • Peshawar Zalmi to win: 19/20
  • Quetta Gladiators to win:17/20

Team News

Peshawar Zalmi

Probable XI: Mohamamd Hafeez, Dawid Malan, Kamran Akmal (wk), Brad Hodge, Shahid Yousaf, Shahid Afridi (c), Darren Sammy, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Shaun Tait, Mohamamd Asghar

Quetta Gladiators

Probable XI: Ahmed Shehzad, Bismillah Khan, Kevin Pietersen, Kumar Sangakkara, Sarfraz Ahmed (c&wk), Grant Elliott, Mohammad Nawaz, Nathan McCullum, Zulfiqar Babar, Umar Gul