DUBAI: Multan Sultans, riding high on two successive wins in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) debut, will take on Islamabad United in today’s first match in Dubai.
Multan have so far been the most impressive side this season, beating defending champions Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets in the opening match of the PSL and then outclassing Lahore Qalandars by 43 runs in their second match.
Junaid Khan and Imran Tahir are at the centre of the attention with their brilliant bowling, and Kumar Sangakkara has been unstoppable, with fifties in both the matches.
Islamabad United were beaten by Peshawar Zalmi in their opening match on Saturday, with their top order crushed by pacer Umaid Asif who was helped along by young spinner Ibtisam Sheikh.
Multan Sultans
Head coach: Tom Moody
Captain: Shoaib Malik
Squad: Shoaib Malik (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Darren Bravo, Abdullah Shafique, Saif Badar, Nicholas Pooran, Kumar Sangakkara, Sohaib Maqsood, Kashif Bhatti, Shan Masood, Thisara Perera, Mohammad Abbas, Umar Siddiq, Ross Whiteley, Imran Tahir, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Hardus Viljoen
Islamabad United
Head coach: Dean Jones
Captain: Misbah-ul-Haq
Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Alex Hales, Sam Billings, Mohammad Hasan, Chadwick Walton, Rohail Nazir, Luke Ronchi, Amad Butt, JP Duminy, Hussain Talat, Samit Patel, Andre Russell, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Samuel Badree, Steven Finn, Mohammad Sami, Rumman Raees, Zafar Gohar