February 21: Lahore Qalandars vs Multan Sultans at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore
Our XI: Chris Lynn, Sohail Akhtar, James Vince, Rohail Nazir, Mohammad Hafeez, Moeen Ali, Mohammad Ilyas, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Tahir (c)
Captain:Imran Tahir
The legspinner is one of the most experienced T20 players. He was the leading wicket-taker (17) in the last T20 tournament he played – the Mzansi Super League 2019-20.
Vice-captain: Haris Rauf
The right-arm quick was the show-stopper at this year’s Big Bash League. He picked 20 wickets in just 10 games and struck every 11.3 balls. It all started at the PSL for him and he will look to put up a good show this year as well.
Hot Picks
Chris Lynn
Though the Lahore pitch has traditionally favoured the bowlers, Lynn can stand out even in those conditions with his big hits. In the T10 league last November, he was the highest run-getter with 371 runs, striking at 236.3.
James Vince
Vince scored 323 runs in the BBL at a strike rate of 123.28. As someone who can help his sides get off to brisk starts, he is expected to shine in Lahore.
Moeen Ali
Moeen’s all-round ability could be valuable for the Sultans. Although he’s coming into the tournament following a poor run, his experience would definitely come in handy.
Value Picks
Rohail Nazir
The Pakistan U-19 captain is Sultans’ wicketkeeper who bats in the top order. Nazir scored 111 runs in four innings in the U-19 World cup leading up to the tournament and will be a good value pick.
Mohammad Ilyas
The 20-year old right-arm quick was impressive last year in the limited opportunities he got. He picked up nine wickets at a strike-rate of 16 and an economy of a touch over 8.
Points to note
Points to note:
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The average first innings score in T20s at Lahore since 2018 is 158 (five international and two PSL games)
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In the last five T20 matches in Lahore, fast bowlers have picked up 36 wickets at an economy of 7.31 and spinners have taken 15 wickets at an economy of 7.22