![Multan Sultans Predicted XI vs Islamabad United [Source: PSL, Multan Sultans]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1774595776033_AshtonTurnerSteveSmithMultanSultans.jpg?type=hq)
Multan Sultans Predicted XI vs Islamabad United [Source: PSL, Multan Sultans]
The 2021 champions, Multan Sultans, will begin their PSL 2026 season against the joint-most successful PSL team, Islamabad United, on March 28, at 7:30 PM IST. The clash will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, behind closed doors.
The Sultans were previously led by Muhammad Rizwan and went through a terrible 2025 season, winning only 1 of their 10 fixtures, which eventually led to the franchise releasing him. In PSL 2026, the Multan Sultans' squad comprises several Australian stars and the BBL winner, Ashton Turner, will be the captain over some Pakistan internationals.
They have also acquired the services of the leading run-scorer from the T20 World Cup, Sahibzada Farhan and Test skipper, Shan Masood, from the auction to strengthen their domestic roster. Below is a brief look at their likely playing XI for the match against Islamabad United.
Multan Sultans Playing XI vs Islamabad United- PSL 2026, Match 4
Top-order: Steve Smith, Sahibzada Farhan, Shan Masood
Steve Smith will be the opening batter of the Multan Sultans, all geared up to make his PSL debut, alongside Pakistan's best white-ball opener currently, Sahibzada Farhan.
Ahead of PSL 2026, Smith scored 299 runs in the BBL 2025/26 run to the final, with a century and two fifties. He had a strike rate of 167.97 in the season. Farhan was one of the best batters in the T20 World Cup, where he accumulated 383 runs in 6 innings, including two fifties and two hundreds. He ended the competition at a strike rate of 160.25.
Shan Masood, with experience of playing in the 55 PSL matches for 1503 runs and 52 Vitality Blast matches, scoring 1207 runs, will bat at number 3, providing a left-handed option in the top-order of the Sultans' team.
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Middle-order: Josh Phillipe (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Muhammad Shahzad, Mohammad Nawaz
The responsibility of the middle-order will be on the Aussie duo of wicketkeeper Josh Phillipe and captain Ashton Turner. The skipper, Turner, finished the recent triumphant BBL season with the Perth Scorchers, scoring 243 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 182.70 and a fifty. On the other hand, Australia's white-ball regular scored 292 runs in 12 innings at 137.08.
At number 6 will be the 22-year-old from Multan, Muhammad Shahzad, who recently had a really good National T20 League season, scoring 118 runs in 4 innings. He had a strike rate of 144 and is among the young players to watch out for this season.
Another finisher in the lineup will be the allrounder Mohammad Nawaz, who has shown his ability to score quick-fire 20s and 30s late in the innings in T20 cricket and bowls economical four overs in the middle overs. He has conceded at a rate of under 7 since 2024 in T20Is.
Bowlers: Mohammad Wasim Jr., Peter Siddle, Faisal Akram, Muhammad Ismail
The pace-bowling trio will be led by Peter Siddle, who was the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the recent BBL season, with 16 scalps in 11 innings. He also had an impressive economy rate of just 7.12 runs per over, making him a reliable pick for the Sultans.
The two Pakistani pacers in the bowling attack will be Mohammad Wasim Jr. and Muhammad Ismail. Wasim has started to find his feet in international cricket in recent months. He has the PSL experience of 41 matches, where he has picked 47 wickets. On the other hand, the latest signing, Muhammad Ismail, will be the other pacer.
The 20-year-old pacer has shown promise in the 6 T20s, picking 14 wickets at a strike rate of 8.50 and an economy rate of 8.30 in his short career. Another 22-year-old, Faisal Akram, will be the lead spinner of the bowling attack, with 23 T20s under his belt for 12 wickets at an economy of 7.77. This will be a crucial season for him to make a mark in the league.
Multan Sultans Playing XI vs Islamabad United- PSL 2026, Match 4- Steve Smith, Sahibzada Farhan, Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Ashton Turner (c), Muhammad Shahzad, Mohammad Nawan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Peter Siddle, Faisal Akram, Muhammad Ismail.
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