Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans will become the first two teams to play all their 10 league matches in the ongoing eighth season of the Pakistan Super League. Set to lock horns against each other for the first time at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium tonight, both QG and MS stand a chance to qualify for the playoffs starting in Lahore on Wednesday.
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Having won three and lost six matches in PSL 2023 thus far, Gladiators aren’t in the best of positions. That said, one expects them to be in high spirits after pulling off the-then highest successful PSL run-chase in their last match against Peshawar Zalmi earlier this week.
ALSO READ: Quetta Gladiators vs Multan Sultans Head-to-Head records in PSL history
Sultans, meanwhile, are placed comparatively better at the third position on the back of five wins and four losses in the first nine matches. A victory on Saturday will guarantee them a spot in the playoffs right away.
How can Quetta Gladiators qualify for playoffs?
Quetta, on the contrary, find themselves in the middle of a few permutations and combinations for them to be able to finish among the Top Four teams on the points table this season.
First and foremost, Sarfaraz Ahmed and his men will have to ensure a victory against Multan in PSL 8 Match 28. Assuming that the same doesn’t happen, Gladiators will be eliminated from the tournament on the penultimate day of the league phase.
A victory, however, will increase their points to eight. The next step for QG would then to be hope for Zalmi’s loss against Islamabad United tomorrow. Readers must note that Peshawar winning their last match will also knock Quetta out of contention with respect to playoffs qualification.
Even if Zalmi lose, their NRR (Net Run Rate) could still propel them above Gladiators at the fourth position. Hence, a massive victory for QG and a massive defeat for PZ will assist the former in moving ahead in PSL 2023.
The last league match of the season between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings is inconsequential with respect to Quetta’s qualification chances.
UPDATE: A 9-run loss against Multan has knocked Quetta out of Pakistan Super League 8.
