Updated PSL 2026 Standings (After M23)
| Pos | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ✅ | Peshawar Zalmi | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 12 — QUALIFIED |
| 2 | Multan Sultans | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | Islamabad United | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | Karachi Kings | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | Lahore Qalandars | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | Quetta Gladiators | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | Hyderabad Kingsmen | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Rawalpindiz | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Match Overview — Survival vs Elimination
Match 24 pits the PSL’s 7th-placed team against its wooden-spooners. At first glance, this looks like a dead rubber — HYK can’t reach the playoffs even with a string of wins from here, and RWP are mathematically eliminated from contention (0 wins in 5 matches). But both teams have individual match-winners capable of producing extraordinary T20 performances, and pride, personal contracts, and franchise reputation are all at stake.
For Rawalpindiz specifically: This franchise made PSL history as the most expensive franchise purchase in the league’s history. They signed Mohammad Rizwan at premium cost. They recruited Ben Sears (NZ) as an injury replacement for Naseem Shah. They have scored freely in batting (214 vs PSZ in their first match!) but have been unable to defend targets consistently. Today represents an opportunity to end their winless campaign before the season ends.
Hyderabad Kingsmen — Two Wins of Note
HYK have had two victories this season:
- M21 vs ISU (April 12): Beat Islamabad United by 6 wickets (ISU 153/10, HYK chased with Marnus Labuschagne scoring a vital fifty). Asif Mehmood took 4/18 — exceptional spell.
- M20 vs KK (April 11): Beat Karachi Kings in their historic first-ever PSL win. Irfan Khan + Kusal Perera partnership rescued HYK after a collapse.
HYK probable XI: Marnus Labuschagne (c), Saim Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat, Kusal Perera (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Usman Khan, Hassan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Asif Mehmood, Riley Meredith, Akif Javed / Maheesh Theekshana
Key HYK players:
- Glenn Maxwell: Now settled in the HYK lineup after his debut cameo (2 runs in M20). In M21, his role was less defined. Today vs RWP’s modest bowling attack, his ceiling for a 20-ball 40+ innings at No.5 is extremely high.
- Maaz Sadaqat: 30-37 in multiple matches at 160+ SR — HYK’s most reliable powerplay run-scorer. His aggressive approach from ball one puts immediate pressure on opposition bowlers.
- Riley Meredith: 140+ km/h Australian express pace in HYK’s opening spell. Against RWP’s top order — featuring Mohammad Rizwan (technically sound, not a powerplay aggressor) and Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand’s most reliable T20 middle-order batter) — his first-4-over allocation is critical.
Rawalpindiz — A Franchise in Crisis
Five matches, five losses. RWP’s campaign has been everything the franchise’s premium cost should have prevented:
- M3 (vs PSZ, Peshawar, March 28): Lost despite posting 214/4. PSZ chased it with 5 balls remaining.
- M10 (vs KK): Lost to Karachi Kings when their batting completely collapsed.
- M12 (vs ISU): Lost to Islamabad United by 9 wickets — a 9-wicket defeat is one of T20 cricket’s most comprehensive margins.
- M14 (vs Multan): Lost again.
- M18 (vs QTG): Lost to Quetta Gladiators by 61 runs.
RWP’s core problem: Despite Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy, their bowling cannot defend totals. Naseem Shah was their primary wicket-taking hope and he’s been replaced by Ben Sears. Naseem’s early season form was poor anyway (51 runs in 4 wicketless overs in M3 before being fined for a social media post).
RWP probable XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk), Yasir Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Abdullah Fazal, Cole McConchie, Rishad Hossain, Ben Sears (replaced Naseem Shah), Mohammad Amir, Amad Butt
Key RWP players:
- Daryl Mitchell: New Zealand’s most reliable T20 international batter. His technical correctness and ability to pace an innings make him RWP’s best batting option. In previous matches, he has scored 30-40s but never a match-winning innings.
- Rishad Hossain: Bangladesh leg-spinner — one of the T20 circuit’s most discussed wrist-spinners. Against HYK’s right-hand dominant batting (Sadaqat, Maxwell, Labuschagne — all right-handers), his carrom ball variations in overs 7-15 are RWP’s most potent wicket-taking option.
Hyderabad Kingsmen vs Rawalpindiz Prediction
- Predicted Winner: Hyderabad Kingsmen (65%)
Despite the bottom-table positioning of both teams, HYK have tangible quality advantages:
- Maxwell + Labuschagne + Theekshana is a quality trio that outclasses RWP’s equivalent players
- Riley Meredith’s pace superiority over RWP’s bowling
- Two wins this season vs RWP’s zero = momentum and match experience
RWP’s 35% chance: Built on Rishad Hossain taking 3+ wickets in the middle overs AND Daryl Mitchell anchoring a total of 175+ that HYK’s mediocre bowling cannot defend.
Fantasy Tips
- Captain: Glenn Maxwell (HYK) — T20’s most explosive middle-order batter, batting at No.5 against RWP’s modest bowling. His ceiling for a 25-ball 55+ innings is the highest in this match. After a quiet start to the PSL (2 in debut, modest contributions since), this is the match where Maxwell’s T20 genius asserts itself.
- VC: Daryl Mitchell (RWP) — New Zealand’s most reliable T20 batter. At No.4, against a bowling attack that has conceded 180+ in multiple matches, his ceiling for a 50-ball 65 is the best batting option from RWP.
- Differential: Rishad Hossain (RWP) — Bangladesh’s wrist-spin sensation. Against HYK’s right-hand batting lineup (Sadaqat, Maxwell, Labuschagne), his carrom ball at economy 7-8 in overs 7-14 can take 2-3 wickets and change the match. Most users will pick Riley Meredith (pace) or Theekshana (mystery spin) from HYK.
Also Read- SL A vs NZ A Test Prediction