Rawalpindiz entered PSL 2026 with enormous expectations — Pakistan’s most expensive franchise purchase ever (245 crore rupees), led by Mohammad Rizwan, one of Pakistan’s most consistent T20 performers. Seven matches later, they have won nothing. Their record illustrates a team where everything that could go wrong, has: their primary pace weapon Naseem Shah was ineffective and fined for a social media post early in the season; the batting (214/4 in their very first match vs PSZ — chased down!) has been capable in patches but never backed up by the bowling; and their NRR of −1.82 is the worst in the tournament. Daryl Mitchell (New Zealand’s reliable middle-order batter), Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh’s exciting leg-spinner), and Mohammad Rizwan himself (the most reliable Pakistan T20 batter over the last 3 years) are all quality players — but they haven’t functioned as a collective unit.

Tonight vs MS is arguably RWP’s clearest path to ending the winless run — and Mohammed Rizwan has explicitly said he is not giving up on the season. Their win in M27 — where LQ posted 210/4 in a dominant batting display — showed RWP’s batting (178/9) can score 175+ even in losing causes. If their bowling can restrict MS to 170-180, RWP can chase.

Multan Sultans (10 pts, 5 wins) are in excellent shape for the playoffs alongside PSZ and ISU. Their batting is led by the tournament’s most explosive player: Sahibzada Farhan — whose sixes this season lead the entire PSL 2026 tournament. His slog-sweep over midwicket off pace bowling at 120km/h+ is one of T20 cricket’s most destructive shots. Supporting him are Steve Smith (Australia’s Test legend operating in T20 franchise mode, providing anchor-role batting), Josh Philippe (explosive Australian wicketkeeper-batter), and Delano Potgieter (South African power-hitter). Captain Ashton Turner leads with tactical authority, and their bowling rotation — Tabraiz Shamsi (South African left-arm wrist-spin), Peter Siddle (experienced Australian right-arm seam) — is well-balanced.