Rain delays toss for Lahore Qalandars-Multan Sultans PSL match

Lahore: Rain delayed the toss for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) match between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday, with uncertainty remaining over when play could begin.

The outfield was wet, leaving the start of the contest in doubt. Ground staff covered the field with tarpaulins to safeguard the pitch and other playing areas, while officials continued to keep a close watch on the weather before making a decision on the day’s play.

The interruption also raised the possibility that the fixture could be washed out. If that happens, it would become the second match in the ongoing tournament to be abandoned because of rain.

Earlier in the competition, the Islamabad United versus Peshawar Zalmi game on March 31 was called off after continuous rain meant no play was possible.

Head-to-head record

Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans had met 21 times before Friday’s fixture. Multan held a slight edge in the rivalry with 11 wins, while Lahore had won 10 matches.

Squads

Lahore Qalandars squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Naeem, Mustafizur Rahman, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Fakhar Zaman, Ubaid Shah, Haseebullah, Mohammad Farooq, Daniel Sams, Parvez Hussain Emon, Asif Ali, Tayyab Tahir, Dunith Wellalage, Rubin Hermann, Maaz Khan, Ryan Burl and Shahab Khan.

Multan Sultans squad: Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood (vc), Mohammad Nawaz, Shehzad Gul, Faisal Akram, Imran Randhawa, Arafat Minhas, Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Philippe, Momin Qamar, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Shahzad, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ismail and Atizaz Habib Khan.

With weather conditions still under observation, the timing of the toss and the start of the match remained unclear. The rain-related delay came as both sides prepared for another meeting in a closely contested PSL rivalry, with Multan narrowly ahead in the overall record against the defending champions.