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Lahore Qalandars will take on Peshawar Zalmi in their first match of the home leg at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. After two back-to-back wins, LHQ were outplayed by Multan Sultans in their last game. The Shaheen Afridi-led Qalandars will be looking for a comeback in this game as they face a struggling Zalmi side. Peshawar’s batting has been quite inconsistent lately and despite a strong middle-order, they’ve failed to post competitive totals on the board.
Match Details
| Match | Lahore Qalandars vs Peshawar Zalmi |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | 24 April 2025, 8:30 PM |
| Venue | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| Tournament | Pakistan Super League 2025 |
Both Team Previews
Lahore Qalandars Preview
Lahore Qalandars failed to chase a 229-run target in their last outing in Multan. The 38-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler Asif Afridi was the only economical bowler for LHQ. He picked up 1 for 26 in his 4 Overs while the rest of the bowlers had an economy of over 10 r.p.o. Zaman Khan bowled one over for 22 runs including 2 no-balls.
Shaheen Afridi will be concerned with this bowling effort and needs to lead the attack with a quality spell at the start of the innings. A few early wickets from the left-arm pacer can turn things around quickly and put pressure on the over-relied middle-order of Peshawar Zalmi.
The experienced Haris Rauf also plays a big role with the ball. All-rounder Sikandar Raza is handy with the ball and has consistently delivered wickets for Lahore Qalandars in recent games.
In the batting lineup, Fakhar Zaman leads from the front. In the middle-order, the Qalandars have Daryl Mitchell and Sam Billings, followed by Sikandar Raza at number 7. All of them are experienced batters and have been in good touch recently. Mitchell is known for his ability to play a longer knock, while Raza is a great finisher for LHQ. These 3 will be responsible for delivering a good finish.
Peshawar Zalmi Preview
Peshawar Zalmi desperately need a win here to stay alive in the competition. They have won just one of their 4 matches so far. The only win for PSZ came against Multan in Rawalpindi while defending a 227-run target.
After a huge win in that game, Peshawar Zalmi’s poor batting form continued as they once again finished under 150 runs. Their batting has been hugely disappointing this season, and the number 1 reason for the 3 losses from 4 games.
Captain Babar Azam isn’t in his best form. His lack of runs and poor strike rate are a huge concern for PSZ going ahead. His opening partner, Saim Ayyub, who’s another quality batter and can deliver big starts, has scored in single digits in his last 3 innings.
A lot depends on the middle order of Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Mohammad Haris in this lineup. These two have been among the consistent run-scorers for PSZ and will be expected to lead the batting effort once again.
The batting lineup is deep with Mitchell Owen and Abdul Samad coming in at 6 and 7, respectively. Hussain Talat is another reliable big-hitting batsman at number 5 and will be one to watch out for.
Luke Wood and Alzarri Joseph lead the pace attack for Peshawar, while Arif Yaqoob is a key wicket-taker in the spin department. The 17-year-old right-arm fast-medium bowler Ali Raza has been very promising in his recent matches.
Favourite Team to Win Today’s Match
| Team | Reasons |
|---|---|
| Lahore Qalandars | Strong batting lineup, better recent form, and home advantage make them favorites. |
Lahore Qalandars are in better form compared to Peshawar Zalmi. With a strong batting lineup led by Fakhar Zaman and supported by experienced players like Daryl Mitchell and Sikandar Raza, they are well-equipped to handle any challenge. Moreover, playing at home gives them a significant edge. Their bowlers, especially Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, can exploit the conditions effectively.
Fantasy Team XI
| Player Name | Role | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | Batsman | Lahore Qalandars |
| Daryl Mitchell | Batsman | Lahore Qalandars |
| Sam Billings (wk) | Wicketkeeper | Lahore Qalandars |
| Tom Kohler-Cadmore | Batsman | Peshawar Zalmi |
| Sikandar Raza | All-rounder | Lahore Qalandars |
| Haris Rauf | Bowler | Lahore Qalandars |
| Luke Wood | Bowler | Peshawar Zalmi |
| Shaheen Afridi (c) | Bowler | Lahore Qalandars |
| Alzarri Joseph | Bowler | Peshawar Zalmi |
| Asif Afridi | Bowler | Lahore Qalandars |
| Arif Yaqoob | Bowler | Peshawar Zalmi |
Explanation : This fantasy team combines top performers from both sides. Fakhar Zaman and Daryl Mitchell provide stability at the top, while Sam Billings adds depth with his wicketkeeping skills. Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Sikandar Raza offer all-round capabilities. The bowling department includes key pacers like Haris Rauf, Luke Wood, Shaheen Afridi, Alzarri Joseph, Asif Afridi, and Arif Yaqoob.
Suggested Captain and Vice-Captain
- Captain : Shaheen Afridi
- Vice-Captain : Fakhar Zaman
Shaheen Afridi’s leadership and ability to pick up crucial wickets make him an ideal captain choice. Fakhar Zaman’s explosive batting makes him a perfect vice-captain.
Players to Avoid
- Saim Ayub : Poor form and low confidence.
- Babar Azam : Struggling with form and strike rate.
Team Squads
Lahore Qalandars Squad
- Fakhar Zaman
- Mohammad Naeem
- Abdullah Shafique
- Daryl Mitchell
- Sam Billings (wk)
- Sikandar Raza
- Shaheen Afridi (c)
- Rishad Hossain
- Haris Rauf
- Zaman Khan
- Asif Afridi
Peshawar Zalmi Squad
- Saim Ayub
- Babar Azam (c)
- Mohammad Haris (wk)
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore
- Hussain Talat
- Mitchell Owen
- Abdul Samad
- Alzarri Joseph
- Luke Wood
- Arif Yaqoob
- Ali Raza
Probable Playing XI
Lahore Qalandars
| Player Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | Batsman |
| Mohammad Naeem | Batsman |
| Abdullah Shafique | Batsman |
| Daryl Mitchell | Batsman |
| Sam Billings (wk) | Wicketkeeper |
| Sikandar Raza | All-rounder |
| Shaheen Afridi (c) | Bowler |
| Rishad Hossain | Bowler |
| Haris Rauf | Bowler |
| Zaman Khan | Bowler |
| Asif Afridi | Bowler |
Peshawar Zalmi
| Player Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | Batsman |
| Babar Azam (c) | Batsman |
| Mohammad Haris (wk) | Wicketkeeper |
| Tom Kohler-Cadmore | Batsman |
| Hussain Talat | Batsman |
| Mitchell Owen | Batsman |
| Abdul Samad | Batsman |
| Alzarri Joseph | Bowler |
| Luke Wood | Bowler |
| Arif Yaqoob | Bowler |
| Ali Raza | Bowler |
Pitch Report
The Gaddafi Stadium pitch is known for its balanced nature, offering assistance to both batters and bowlers. The average 1st innings score in the last 10 T20Is here is 184 runs. Anything over 200 will be a match-winning score on this surface.
Toss Prediction
Batting first is advantageous on this ground, given historical data where teams batting first have won 18 of the 29 T20Is played here.
Winner Prediction
Lahore Qalandars to win
The hosts look strong with their recent batting performances. They’ve got a deep lineup with some in-form and reliable batters. The visitors have been very inconsistent with the bat and will be dependent on their in-form bowlers to give them an upper hand in this game. Lahore Qalandars will start as favorites in our match prediction.
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