PSL 9 – Clash of Titans: Multan Sultans Take on Karachi Kings in Home Opener.
The clash between PSL 5 winners Karachi Kings and PSL 6 champions Multan Sultans kicks off the ninth edition of the league as the two teams aim to start their campaign on a winning note. Under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan, Multan Sultans are eager to reclaim their position at the top of the table, a spot they believe they rightfully deserve based on their pre-league preparations.
Adding to their strategic arsenal, Multan Sultans have enlisted the expertise of Mohammad Wasim, former Chief Selector of the national team, to enhance their ‘digital’ planning for executing various tactics during matches. On the other hand, Karachi Kings will be led by their new captain, Shan Masood, who transitions from the team they are facing. Masood, recently appointed as the captain of the national Test team following Babar Azam’s resignation, seeks redemption after a challenging tour down under. A change in format and familiar conditions may provide him with the opportunity to turn things around.
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In their head-to-head encounters, Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings have crossed paths 13 times since Multan’s inception into franchise cricket in 2018. Multan has emerged victorious in 5 matches while Karachi has clinched victory in 6 encounters, with two matches ending in no result.
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| Team | Win | Loss | No Result |
| Multan Sultans | 5 | 6 | 2 |
| Karachi Kings | 6 | 5 | 2 |
As for the pitch report, Multan is expected to offer a batting-friendly surface for the teams. Drawing from the previous season (PSL 8), matches at the Multan Stadium have favored teams batting first, with 4 out of 5 matches won by the side setting the target. Notably, Multan Sultans initiated their winning streak in PSL 8 by comfortably chasing down a target set by Quetta Gladiators at the same venue. The Gladiators were restricted to 110 runs, a total that Multan Sultans chased down with nine wickets in hand, setting a promising precedent for their performance on home turf.
Multan Sultans:
| Mohammad Rizwan (C, WK) | Reeza Hendricks | Dawid Malan | Tayyab Tahir | Iftikhar Ahmed | Khushdil Shah |
| David Willey | Chris Jordan | Abbas Afridi | Faisal Akram | Shahnawaz Dahani |
Karachi Kings:
| James Vince | Mohammad Akhlaq (WK) | Shan Masood (C) | Shoaib Malik | Kieron Pollard | Irfan Khan Niazi |
| Mohammad Nawaz | Anwar Ali | Daniel Sams | Hasan Ali | Tabraiz Shamsi |
