With the eight Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 teams now fighting for a spot in the playoffs, in match number 26, the defending champions, Lahore Qalandars will take on the Quetta Gladiators at the National Stadium in Karachi on April 17. Although, both teams are coming into the fixture off defeats in their previous games, they will be eager to get a win to keep their contention in the playoffs alive.
While the Shaheen Afridi-led Qalandars are coming off two consecutive defeats, they will fight to go over the Gladiators, who are placed 6th in the points table. With high-stakes on the cards in this clash, especially seeing the PSL 2025 finalists locking horns, Qalandars will look to continue their domination over the Gladiators.
PSL 2026: Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators match details
Match: Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, Match 26
Date: April 17, 2026 (Friday)
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
Toss time: 7:00 pm (IST)
Match time: 7:30 pm (IST)
Team Preview
Lahore Qalandars
Lahore Qalandars have a good pace attack at their disposal, boasting the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Mustafizur Rahman. They also have some of the best Pakistan batters, including opener Fakhar Zaman, who can go deep with his batting skills.
Strength: Good-looking pace strength
Key batters: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Naeem
Key bowlers: Sikandar Raza, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mustafizur Rahman
Quetta Gladiators
The runners-up of the PSL 2025 edition, Quetta Gladiators have assembled a strong squad, featuring mix of experienced players and international talent. However, they have failed to stand up together as a team as they fight to stay alive in the competition. The Gladiators will look to get back to pen and paper in order to revive their season and get to winning ways.
Strength: Balanced squad at disposal
Key batters: Saud Shakeel, Rilee Rossouw, Ben McDermott
Key bowlers: Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
Head-to-Head
| Criterion | Stats |
| Played | 21 |
| Lahore Qalandars won | 11 |
| Quetta Gladiators won | 9 |
| Tied/NR | 0/1 |
LQ vs QG predicted playing XIs
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Dunith Wellalage, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Ubaid Shah, Daniel Sams
Quetta Gladiators: Shamyl Hussain, Saud Shakeel (c), Rilee Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Tom Curran, Jahandad Khan, Ahsan Ali, Alzarri Joseph, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Key Players to Watch
Shaheen Afridi (Lahore Qalandars)
Sikandar Raza (Lahore Qalandars)
Rilee Rossouw (Quetta Gladiators)
Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators)
Pitch Report
The surface at the National Stadium in Karachi, usually known to support the batters, has been balanced this season in PSL 2026. However, the pitch has slightly favoured the teams chasing the total. As a result, the captain winning the toss are likely to bowl first.
Average 1st innings score: 164 – 170
Team batting second often have an advantage.
Weather Report
As per the weather forecast on Accuweather, it is highly-likely to remain cloudy during the PSL 11 Match 26 in Karachi. The temperature will range between 27-30°C with wind blowing from west and south-west at around 17-20 km/h. The chances of rain are bare minimum.
Toss Prediction
Teams winning the toss are likely to bowl first, considering that teams chasing have come out victorious predominantly.
Winning Probability
Lahore Qalandars: 55%
Quetta Gladiators: 45%
Match Prediction – Who will win?
The defending champions, Lahore Qalandars will be eager to get a win under the belt especially after losing two games on the trot. Moreover, their head-to-head record shows the dominance of the Qalandars over the Gladiators, which could continue in the upcoming game.
Prediction: Lahore Qalandars to win the contest
PSL 11 live streaming details
| Region | Broadcasters/Platforms |
| UK | ARY Digital (SKY 748), ARY Plus |
| Australia & New Zealand | ESPN |
| North America | Willow, Prime |
| MENA | Cricbuzz, STarzplay, Elife |
| India & Nepal | Tapmad |
| Bangladesh | T Sports, Tapmad |
| Sri Lanka | Dialog, Tapmad |
| Africa, Europe & Caribbean | Tapmad |
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