United Vs Gladiators, Match Preview
The Islamabad United come into this game with a close loss behind them. The side scored 143 in the first game of the UAE leg but managed to push the game to the final over. Some good moves by the captain and decent performances kept the United in the game, but a late burst lost them the game.
The loss took the side to fourth, and they will be taking on a side that has struggled even more. The Quetta Gladiators are currently last with just one win and hope that the break helps them regain momentum. They are approaching a do or die stage and will need a lot to go right to get their campaign on track. The side has some explosive players coming in, and the squad is certainly capable of turning the tournament around.
United Vs Gladiators, Team News
The Islamabad United did well with the ball in the first game, and the captaincy of Shadab Khan was impressive. They took the game close despite a small total and almost pulled off a magnificent win.
The batting, however, is undoubtedly a spot of bother. There may be questions on Shadab Khan’s batting position, with the skipper coming in at number four, but that is the least of their issues. The top order failed to get starts despite the quality they possess.
Though the batting didn’t click, United may not make too many changes. With the likes of Colin Munro and Usman Khawaja, there is still hope that the two can convert. The side is likely to retain faith and keep the same squad.
The Quetta Gladiators will be playing their first game after the restart. The side has lost players like Chris Gayle, Dale Steyn, Tom Banton, and Ben Cutting. There have been some notable inclusions in the draft with Andre Russel among the big buys. However, the side has lost its top-order batters and will have to find ways to cover the loss.
They still have Faf Du Plessis and Sarfaraz Khan, who will probably play integral parts. Faf Du Plessis, in particular, has been in good form during the IPL and is as reliable as ever.
United Vs Gladiators, Predicted XIs
Islamabad United:
- Usman Khawaja
- Colin Munro
- Rohail Nazir
- Shadab Khan
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Hussain Talat
- Asif Ali
- Faheem Ashraf
- Hasan Ali
- Fawad Ahmed
- Mohammad Wasim
Quetta Gladiators:
- Usman Khan
- Saim Ayub
- Faf Du Plessis
- Azam Khan
- Sarfaraz Ahmed
- Andre Russel
- Jake Weatherald
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Qais Ahmed
- Zahir Khan
- Mohammad Hasnain
United Vs Gladiators, Players to watch out for
Faf Du Plessis
After retiring from Test Cricket, Faf Du Plessis has been active in the T20 leagues. He has taken part in two so far and has been doing a fine job. His performance for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL was brilliant, and the veteran is keen on staking a claim for the World T20. With a lot of hunger in the batter, he could be a crucial part of the upcoming game.
Usman Khawaja
A class batter rarely fails twice, and Usman Khawaja is undoubtedly among the high-quality cricketers. He struggled in the first game, but a comeback is possible if the batsman finds a way to adapt to the conditions. Like Faf Du Plessis, Khawaja is another player trying to push for national selection and will depend on this season to do so.
United Vs Gladiators, Pitch Report
The Abu Dhabi surface has been balanced until now, with both games seeing different results based on the toss. The first game was won chasing while the second was won defending. Although, in the first game, the side defending came close to winning, indicating some slowness on the surface.