Four wins and a washout — that is the record Peshawar Zalmi carry into Match 22, and it makes them the only unbeaten side in PSL 2026. Multan Sultans, sitting just one position below them with an identical four wins, know that a win in Karachi on Monday night flips the table entirely in their favour.
Match Details: PES vs MUL, PSL 2026 Match 22
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Pakistan Super League 2026, Match 22 |
| Teams | Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans |
| Date | Monday, April 13, 2026 |
| Venue | National Stadium, Karachi |
| PES Captain | Babar Azam |
| MUL Captain | Ashton Turner |
| Avg 1st Innings Score (Karachi PSL 2026) | ~173 |
| Expected Score if PES bat first | 180–190 |
| Expected Score if MUL bat first | 175–185 |
| Match Prediction | Team batting second to win |
What Is at Stake: The PSL 2026 Table Race
Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi have been the standout side of this PSL 2026 campaign — five games played, four won, and one washed out without a loss to their name. That is not a fluke. Their squad has depth, their bowling has edge, and Babar’s captaincy has been tactically sharp throughout.
Multan Sultans have also been impressive. Their only setback came in a weather-reduced 13-over game against Lahore Qalandars, which feels more like an asterisk than a true defeat. Ashton Turner’s side comes into this fixture with momentum and a clear motive: win, and they climb to the top of the PSL 2026 standings.
This is not just another league fixture. It is a genuine title contenders’ meeting, and both squads know it.
National Stadium Karachi Pitch Report
Six PSL 2026 matches have been played at the National Stadium in Karachi so far, and the surface has treated both batters and bowlers fairly. The average first-innings total sits around 173, and the wins have been split equally — three for the team batting first, three for the chasing side.
Despite that balance, I lean toward the chasing side having a slight advantage here. The surface stays true throughout the evening, dew sets in after sunset and eases the grip for spinners in the second innings, and good batting conditions persist late into the game. Any target below 180 feels chaseable at this ground.
Toss Prediction: PES vs MUL
Both captains will have done their homework on Karachi’s dew patterns. The rational call — and the consistent one across PSL 2026 at this venue — is to bowl first and chase under lights. I expect whoever wins the toss to insert the opposition, and I’d be surprised if either Babar Azam or Ashton Turner bucks that trend. Toss winner fields first.
Peshawar Zalmi Predicted Playing XI
Zalmi’s batting lineup is built around two pillars: Babar Azam’s composure and Kusal Mendis’s aggression. Mohammad Haris provides the attacking intent at the top, while Michael Bracewell and Abdul Samad cover the middle-overs acceleration. Iftikhar Ahmed brings experience and big-hitting ability in the lower middle order. With the ball, Sufiyan Muqeem leads a well-rounded attack that includes genuine pace through Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam.
Predicted XI: Mohammad Haris, Babar Azam (C), Kusal Mendis (WK), Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Aamer Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana.
Multan Sultans Predicted Playing XI
Multan have assembled an interesting overseas mix. Steven Smith and Josh Philippe alongside Sahibzada Farhan at the top gives them three genuine match-winners in the first six overs. Shan Masood adds stability in the middle order, while Mohammad Nawaz is the spin option most likely to trouble Zalmi’s middle order. Mohammad Wasim Jr brings the pace threat, and Peter Siddle offers experience in the death.
Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Steven Smith, Josh Philippe (WK), Shan Masood, Ashton Turner (C), Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Nawaz, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ismail, Faisal Akram.
Key Players: Who Decides This PES vs MUL Match
Kusal Mendis is the batter I am watching most closely. In four PSL 2026 appearances, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter has scored 241 runs at an average of 60.26 and a strike rate of 172.14. Those are not just good T20 numbers — they are extraordinary. His ability to dominate from the number three slot makes him almost impossible to plan a bowling attack around.
Sufiyan Muqeem is his bowling equivalent. He is the joint-highest wicket-taker in PSL 2026, level with Shaheen Afridi, with 10 wickets in four games. His average of 9.90, strike rate of 9.60, and economy of 6.19 are the kind of figures that make opposition batting coaches nervous all week. If Multan’s batters cannot read his variations quickly, he will dismantle their innings by the halfway point.
From the Multan camp, Josh Philippe’s ability to attack from ball one at the top of the order is their biggest weapon. Steven Smith’s experience and tactical awareness alongside him gives Multan a different kind of dangerous — patient until it is time not to be.
PES vs MUL Head-to-Head Record in PSL
Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans have developed one of the more consistent rivalries in PSL history. Zalmi have traditionally held the edge in overall meetings between these two sides, but Multan have shown a capacity to perform in high-stakes fixtures. This season both teams have been the two most dominant outfits in the competition — their head-to-head form makes this genuinely competitive on paper.
What matters more than historical records tonight is current momentum. Zalmi’s unbeaten run in PSL 2026 gives them a psychological edge, even at a neutral venue in Karachi. But Multan will not be intimidated. They have beaten every other side this season and are well-equipped to do the same here.
Our Prediction: Peshawar Zalmi to Stay Unbeaten
I am backing Peshawar Zalmi to win this PSL 2026 top-of-the-table clash, and I am backing the chasing side to do it. At the National Stadium in Karachi, the conditions and the dew factor consistently reward the team setting down their chase under lights.
Sufiyan Muqeem’s form with the ball is the decisive factor for me. Ten wickets in four games at an economy under 6.20 in T20 cricket is a purple patch that does not just disappear. Multan’s batters will have to play him better than any opposition has managed so far in this campaign, and I do not see that happening. Kusal Mendis, meanwhile, looks almost certain to deliver at least one significant innings before this tournament is over — and this feels like the night.
My final call: Peshawar Zalmi win by 10–15 runs, chasing a Multan total somewhere in the 175–185 range. Sufiyan Muqeem to be the difference-maker with the ball.
This one is genuinely worth clearing your evening for. The top two in PSL 2026 go head-to-head, and the winner takes psychological ownership of the title race at the halfway point of the league stage. Drop your prediction below, and check back here after the toss for confirmed XIs and any last-minute changes that could shift the balance.
This prediction is based on publicly available squad data, injury reports, venue stats, and historical records. Official playing XIs will be confirmed at the toss.