Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalandars prediction for the first match of the 2025 PSL holds great promise for an electrifying encounter between two bitter rivals. ISU vs. LHQ will be played on Friday, April 11, 2025, at 8:00 PM local time at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Islamabad United will meet Lahore Qalandars in the first match of the 2025 Pakistan Premier League at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. The match is scheduled to take place on April 11 at 8:00 PM PST.

Islamabad United played aggressively in the previous season of the PSL T20 and clinched the title. They are the current defenders of this competition. They have played ten league matches, which they have won five times. They lost four and tied one. They were third in the points table at the end of the league games. They beat Quetta Gladiators in Eliminator 1 and Eliminator 2 against Peshawar Zalmi. They won the final match against Multan Sultans.

Lahore Qalandars were not good enough in the previous edition of the tournament and were the worst team in the last season. They had played ten league matches with a solitary win. They lost eight and drew one. At the end of the league matches, they were at the bottom of the points table. They have shifted some players to their squad, and we expect them to perform well in this tournament.

Match Preview

Islamabad United

Though Islamabad United struggled against Lahore Qalandars, the team played exceptionally well in last year's PSL. They won the tournament in 2024 and come into this match with five straight victories.

Colin Munro, Matthew Short, and Rassie van der Dussen make up Islamabad United's top order. United's bowling unit is headed by Ben Dwarshuis, Hunain Shah, Salaman Irshad, and Naseem Shah.

Colin Munro has been the pillar of the United team in recent history. He has scored 313 runs from his last eight games at an average of 39.13 and a strike rate of 148.34. Shadab Khan has scored 220 runs from his last ten games at an average of 24.44 and a strike rate of 134.14.

Pacer Naseem Shah will head Islamabad's bowling line-up with 12 wickets from nine games and a strike rate of 18. Shadab Khan also finds a place in the bowling lineup with 12 wickets from ten games and a strike rate of 18.

Lahore Qalandars

Shaheen Afridi and his squad had a poor performance during the previous season, ending at the bottom of the points table with only one victory. Afridi wishes his team to forget last season's failures and begin the game on a good note. Islamabad United will not be an easy opponent, and the Qalandars captain anticipates aggressive performances from his players.

The side has introduced a few alterations to the team this season and anticipates Fakhar Zaman and Kusal Perera to have a good beginning. Abdullah Shafique, positioned at 3, should spearhead the innings and develop combinations with Daryl Mitchell and Sikandar Raza. Shaheen Afridi and Shaheen Afridi are capable batsmen and should make the most of the long shot.

Shaheen Afridi and Zaman Khan must lead from the front and provide early breakthroughs. Sikandar Raza and Asif Afridi will have a great time bowling on this surface since the conditions are favorable for their type of play. The bench attack didn't work last year and the side hopes Haris Rauf and David Wiese will keep a check on the scoring rate in the middle overs.

Pitch Report

The pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is expected to favor batsmen, but spinners might find some opportunities to shine as well. Overall, bowlers will likely struggle to take wickets on this surface, especially as the game goes on and the pitch starts to slow down. There’s also a chance of a few showers, which could play a role in how the match unfolds.

Toss Prediction

"Bowl first" has been the key to success at this venue. It's pretty rare for teams to defend their scores here. Both captains will definitely keep this in mind when it comes to the coin toss, and the team that wins will likely opt to bowl first.

Weather Report

With only a 5% chance of interruptions due to weather, it looks like the conditions won't have much impact on the match. The temperature is expected to reach a high of 31°C and drop to a low of 20°C during the game.

Head to Head

Islamabad United seems to have a slight edge in this matchup against Lahore Qalandars, with a record of 10-09. Last season, these two teams faced off twice and ended up sharing the points.

Venue Details

The venue is truly a haven for batsmen. Here, they can unleash their shots with plenty of bounce and pace. Fast bowlers find it challenging since the wicket doesn’t provide much assistance. However, spinners have thrived here, as the ball tends to grip the surface and spin sharply.

Match Prediction

Last year, the Lahore Qalandars faced some challenges, leading them to shake things up in their squad. Their bowling lineup seems to lack the sharpness and depth needed to take on their opponents' strength. On the other hand, Islamabad United boasts a solid batting lineup and a formidable spin attack, giving them the upper hand.

We're backing on Islamabad United to take the win.

Betting Tips

We believe Islamabad United holds a slight advantage in this game. They boast a stronger lineup of domestic T20 players, and as we know, matches often come down to wins and losses. After the last PSL draft, IU seems to have bolstered their squad and should be in a good position to kick off the match with a victory. When it comes to their head-to-head record, IU has a win percentage of 53% against LQ.

Bet on IU.

Probable Playing XI

Islamabad United Playing XI

Matthew Short, Colin Munro, Salman Agha, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah, Ben Dwarshuis.

Lahore Qalandars Playing XI

Sam Billings (wk), Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique, Kusal Perera, Daryl Mitchell, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Tom Curran, Fakhar Zaman, Zaman Khan, Haris Rauf, Muhammad Naeem.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Islamabad United Key Players

Colin Munro played a masterly innings last season when Islamabad United emerged champions. With 326 runs, Munro was Islamabad United's top run-scorer and is thus our first choice for the next match.

Shadab Khan is an all-rounder of the highest class and will perform in both departments. He will play as the No. 4 batsman and bowl leg-spin.

Imad Wasim picked 12 wickets in 12 games and also scored decently with the bat in the previous season. He is a value-for-money pick.

Lahore Qalandars Key Players

Daryl Mitchell is making his PSL debut and is in great shape. He has played well under these conditions. He is a suitable candidate for the captaincy.

Shaheen Afridi was the shining star in Lahore Qalandars' poor performance last season. With 14 wickets, Afridi was the top wicket-taker of his team and is thus our pick for the next game.