Match prediction for Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi Match 5 in Rawalpindi.
Islamabad United (ISL) and Peshawar Zalmi (PES) will go head-to-head in the fifth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 on April 14. Coming off a heavy defeat, Zalmi will be hoping to bounce back when they face the defending champions at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM IST.
Check out our analysis for the ISL vs PES match with the top betting tips and predictions.
Here are some of the best bets for this Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi PSL 2025 match.
Babar Azam to score a fifty – 1xBet @ 2.75, BET HERE
Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck in the previous game but remains one of the safest batters to bet on. He has piled on over 1,000 runs in the last two PSL seasons at an average of 54 and a strike rate of 143.
Islamabad United are coming off a strong win in their season opener, while Peshawar Zalmi suffered a massive defeat. United have a much better bowling attack, and they bat very deep. You can back the reigning champions to win this game.
Shadab Khan was excellent with the ball in the season opener, picking three wickets. Last season, he had picked 14 wickets and scored 305 runs with the bat. His proven all-round ability makes this a good option to bet on.
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is a venue where batters have thrived over the years. Flat pitches and short boundaries help batters immensely while there’s hardly any assistance for bowlers. The average batting first score at this venue in the last two PSL editions was 209 and 184, respectively. The second game hosted here saw Quetta Gladiators put on 216, so expect a similar surface.
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Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi have faced each other 24 times in the PSL, with both teams winning 12 games each. As for the last five encounters, Zalmi lead the scoreline by 3-2.
The reigning champions kicked off their title defence with a comprehensive victory over Lahore Qalandars by eight wickets. Islamabad United opted to field first, and their bowlers backed the decision well. Jason Holder picked four for 26 while Shadab Khan bagged three for 25 as they restricted the opponents to just 139.
Chasing the target, Colin Munro smashed 59 not-out in 42 deliveries, with Salman Agha also scoring 41 not-out in 34 balls. Islamabad United can strengthen their batting unit with Matthew Short, who didn’t play the first game.
Possible XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Matthew Short, Colin Munro, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Jason Holder, Naseem Shah, Muhammad Shahzad, Riley Meredith.
Peshawar Zalmi had an awful start to their season, suffering a heavy 80-run defeat at the hands of Quetta Gladiators. Bowling first, they were all over the place, conceding 216 in 20 overs. Chasing the target, they lost Babar Azam for a two-ball duck, and two more wickets in the first four overs. Saim Ayub struck 50 off 38 and Hussain Talat made 35 off 19, providing a good fightback. But then they had a collapse, losing seven for 43.
Zalmi played Max Bryant in the first game, but could bring in George Linde for this game.
Possible XI: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, George Linde, Mitch Owen, Hussain Talat, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammad Ali, Sufyan Moqim, Ali Raza.
Check out the details of where to watch the Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi PSL 2025 match.
The team batting first has won seven of the last 10 games hosted here in the PSL. But with dew likely to affect the proceedings in the second innings, teams will prefer chasing. Expect the toss-winning team 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 expected to be clear and warm on Monday evening. With no cloud cover, rain will not be an issue. The humidity levels are expected to be low at around 27%, with wind gusts traveling at up to 22 kmph. Expect the temperature to hover around 26 degrees Celsius in the evening.
The betting market has Islamabad United as favourites heading into this encounter. They have a 57% chance of winning this game.
Saim Ayub has hit 34 runs off 29 deliveries against Naseem Shah and has been dismissed once. This matchup with the new ball will be one to watch out for.
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