Peshawar v Quetta: Struggling studs clash in league's most played fixture

Two traditional studs of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that have fallen on hard times this year and find themselves languishing in unfamiliar spots on the points table will battle each other and possibly bad weather tonight at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Quetta Gladiators are the defending champions and historically the most consistent side in the PSL but currently find themselves a rather modest fourth in the six-team competition.

Peshawar Zalmi, meanwhile, are in an even worse situation, sitting fifth in the standings just behind Quetta, having won just two of their six fixtures (one was washed out).

A victory for either side could propel them up to second spot — more likely for Quetta (6 points) than Zalmi who have a point less.

Head to head

No two PSL teams have faced each other more times than Quetta and Peshawar. Their 15 encounters have mostly been close, with Quetta winning 8, Peshawar 6 and one producing no result.

Peshawar will find confidence in the fact that they beat Quetta pretty comfortably when they last met earlier in PSL 2020. 

While centurion Kamran Akmal had stole all the headlines that day, veteran pacer Wahab Riaz's contribution (4-21-2) could not be overlooked.

His bowling at the death was so effective that Quetta had suspected that he may have tampered with the ball.

Prediction

There is usually nothing to choose when these two play each other and there isn't here. But there is a slightly bigger cause of concern for Quetta as they have lost two straight, including Lahore Qalandars, to whom no one loses. They also have a young pace attack, which though exciting, has shown signs of inexperience lately.

Peshawar have been troubled by reports of rifts between the management and captain Darren Sammy, although he has laughed it off.

The 2017 champions need the victory more, and may have a point to prove to the critics. They edge this one. 

Make your pick:

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