Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi Prediction: Islamabad aiming to end losing run

Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi are going head to head in the 13th Match of the Pakistan Super League at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Cantt, Pakistan on 26 Feb 2024. The defending champions are looking to put an end to two game consecutive defeats. Who will win this game of cricket?

Islamabad's PSL 2024 campaign got off to a strong start with a win against Lahore Qalandars, but they have suffered consecutive losses to Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators. Their next match against Peshawar Zalmi is an opportunity for them to bounce back. Agha Salman and Shadab Khan have been the top run-getters for Islamabad in the tournament so far. Salman has scored 149 runs in three innings, outperforming international players like Alex Hales and Colin Munro. Khan has also made valuable contributions with both bat and ball, scoring runs and taking four wickets. As the team's captain and one of the best all-rounders in the tournament, he will be looking to put in another impressive performance against Zalmi. Additionally, Islamabad will be relying on fast bowler Naseem Shah, who has already taken five wickets in this year's PSL.

Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Jordan Cox, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hunain Shah, Rumman Raees, Naseem Shah 

Zalmi bounced back from two consecutive losses to the Gladiators and Karachi Kings with a recent victory over the Sultans. They will face a tough match against the Qalandars on Sunday and then play Islamabad on Monday. It will be an interesting couple of days for them.

Babar Azam has emerged as the top run-scorer for Zalmi in this PSL season, accumulating 171 runs in three innings. He has outperformed all other batters in the team by almost 100 runs. Expect another impressive performance from this talented right-handed batsman.

Luke Wood and Salman Irshad have combined to take 10 wickets for Zalmi in the 2024 Pakistan Super League. They have been bowling exceptionally well both individually and as a duo. Their unique bowling actions pose a challenge for the opposition batsmen to handle.

Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Haris (wk), Paul Walter, Rovman Powell, Asif Ali, Luke Wood, Naveen-ul-Haq, Arif Yaqoob, Salman Irshad 

The match will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, which has seen first-innings totals of 175, 138, and 154 in its last three T20 matches, indicating that it is not a high-scoring venue. A competitive first-innings score would be 160-plus, and it is expected that both teams will include at least two specialist slow bowlers in their line-ups. The weather forecast predicts no rain in Lahore on the day of the match, with hot and humid conditions anticipated. This is expected to be a closely fought contest, with Islamabad having a stronger chance of winning compared to Peshawar, as they have greater depth in both batting and bowling resources.