Match prediction for Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars Match 1 in Rawalpindi.
Islamabad United (ISL) and Lahore Qalandars (LAH) will kick off the newest edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 on April 11. The season opener will unfold at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with the action set to begin at 9:00 PM IST.
Check out our analysis for the ISL vs LAH match with the top betting tips and predictions.
Here are some of the best bets for this Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars PSL 2025 match.
Salman Agha to be the top Islamabad United batter – 1xBet @ 4.75, BET HERE
Salman Agha has been in good form with the bat and should do well at this venue. He recently hit two half centuries and a 46 in the series against New Zealand. In the previous PSL edition, he had scored 310 runs at a strike rate of 140.
Rawalpindi is a good venue for batting, and six-hitting is easier due to the short boundaries. Both these teams have some terrific hitters in their ranks, so you can back them to rain down sixes.
Shaheen Afridi hasn’t been in great form with the ball but remains a potent threat in this league. Four guaranteed overs and his ability to land some lusty blows with the bat make this a safe option to bet on.
The pitches at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium have historically been batting friendly with bowlers having to toil hard for wickets. The last two PSL editions have had an average first innings score of 209 and 184, respectively, at this venue. So you can expect a runfest when these two teams meet.
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Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars share an intense rivalry. They have faced each other 19 times in the PSL, with both teams winning nine games each. One match was tied, which Islamabad United won in a super over.
Islamabad United clinched their third PSL trophy last year. After coming third in the league stage, they defeated Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi to reach the final. They overcame Multan Sultans in a last-ball thriller.
The reigning champions have made some changes to their roster, bringing in Matthew Short, Riley Meredith, Ben Dwarshuis, Rassie van der Dussen, and Andries Gous. Short, Colin Munro, Jason Holder, and Meredith are likely to be the first choice overseas players.
Possible XI: Matthew Short, Colin Munro, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Haider Ali, Jason Holder, Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah, Riley Meredith.
Lahore Qalandars, who won the back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, had an awful season last year. The Shaheen Afridi-led side finished at the bottom with only one win in nine games, while one match was abandoned.
In the PSL 2025 draft, Lahore Qalandars added Daryl Mitchell, Kusal Perera, Rishad Hossain, and Tom Curran to their squad. Perera, Mitchell, Sikandar Raza, and David Wiese could be the four overseas starters in the playing XI.
Possible XI: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Kusal Perera (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Momin Qamar.
Check out the details of where to watch the Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars PSL 2025 match.
The team batting first has won six of the last eight games hosted here in the PSL. However, with the dew factor coming into play, the teams will prefer chasing. So expect the toss-winning captain to opt to field first.
Take a look at the weather forecast, key matchup, and favourites to get a better idea of the match.
The weather in Rawalpindi is forecast to be clear on Friday evening. There should be no cloud cover, so rain will not be a concern. The humidity levels are expected to be around 54%, with wind gusts traveling at up to 20 kmph. Expect the temperature to range between 18 to 22 degrees Celsius in the evening.
The bookmakers have ISL as favourites heading into this encounter. ISL will walk into this home fixture with a 57% chance of winning.
Zaman Khan has an excellent record against Colin Munro in the shorter format. He has conceded just 18 runs in 21 deliveries and has dismissed the batter three times.
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