Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings Prediction: Sultans have better recent record

Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings are going head to head in the 3rd Match of the Pakistan Super League at Multan International Cricket Stadium, Multan City, Pakistan on 18 Feb 2024. The Sultans have a better record in head-to-head games against the Kings in recent games. Who will win this game of cricket?

The Multan Sultans have demonstrated their consistency in the recent seasons of the PSL by reaching the finals in each of the last three seasons. As they embark on a new campaign, the Sultans will once again aim to make it to the top. Led by wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who is a versatile player, the team boasts talented local batsmen such as Yasir Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Khushdil Shah. Additionally, the team has international batting prowess in Dawid Malan and Reeza Hendricks. However, the middle order lacks a quality all-rounder, with David Willey being the only option. In the absence of injured seamers Ihsanullah and Reece Topley, Chris Jordan and Shahnawaz Dahani are expected to lead the new-ball attack, while Usama Mir and Faisal Akram will handle the spin department.

Reeza Hendricks, Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk), Dawid Malan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Tayyab Tahir, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Reece Topley, Ihsanullah

During the past two seasons, the Karachi Kings have ended up in the bottom two positions and are aiming for an improved performance this season. To strengthen their middle order, they have acquired talented all-rounders Kieron Pollard and Daniel Sams, who have the ability to contribute with both bat and ball. Experienced players like Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Nawaz will also be part of the team, alongside Shan Masood and James Vince who are expected to open the batting. Unfortunately, the pace attack has suffered a setback with Jamie Overton's withdrawal due to injuries, putting more pressure on Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza. However, the spin attack looks promising with Tabraiz Shamsi and Arafat Minhas in the squad.

Shan Masood (c), James Vince, Leus du Plooy, Irfan Niazi, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Jamie Overton, Mohammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Hassan Ali, Tabraiz Shamsi

The team that wins the toss is expected to choose to bat first on the pitch in Multan, which is typically favourable for batting due to the pace, bounce, and ball coming onto the bat easily. The average first-inning score at this ground is around 175, although the pitch may become challenging to bat on later in the match. The weather in Multan is forecasted to be clear with temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius.

Both teams are likely to be missing key international players, making it difficult to predict the outcome of this match. However, we believe that the Multan Sultans have a slight advantage due to their stronger batting line-up and the fact that they are playing at home. Our recommendation is to bet on the Multan Sultans for the win.