National T20 Cup 2021: Match 21, Central Punjab vs Southern Punjab - Preview, predicted XIs, pitch report, weather forecast, match prediction and live streaming details

Match 22 of the National T20 Cup 2021 sees Central Punjab lock horns with Southern Punjab at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan.

The two sides have had contrasting journeys so far in the competition. Central Punjab are sitting comfortably at the top of the table with 10 points under their belt, having won five of a total of seven games. They defeated Sindh in their last match to go top of the table.

Babar Azam missed out and Hasan Ali led Central Punjab in that match. Having won the toss, Hasan opted to bowl first and his team had a fantastic start. Sindh struggled until skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed scored a fifty to help his side put 128 on the board.

The run-chase was a cakewalk for Central Punjab as they tracked down the total in the 16th over. They will be eager to stay at the top of the table with a win against Southern Punjab in their upcoming clash.

Southern Punjab, meanwhile, are languishing at the bottom of the table. They have only managed to win a single game out of a total of seven played. Southern Punjab defeated Northern in a closely-fought contest in their previous match.

On the back of a fifty from Haider Ali, Northern posted a mammoth 211 on the board. It was an uphill task for Southern Punjab and the batters were up to the challenge. Agha Salman scored a half-century as they chased down the total with one ball to spare. Skipper Aamer Yamin also played a crucial role in helping his side get across the line.

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Match Details

Match: Central Punjab vs Southern Punjab, Match No. 21, National T20 Cup 2021

Date and Time: October 7, 2021, Thursday, 3:30 PM IST

Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

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Weather Report

Temperatures are expected to range between 23 and 36 degrees Celsius. There is no chance of rain and we can expect a full game to be played on Thursday.

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Pitch Report

The pitch at Gaddafi Stadium is a bit on the slower side. The batters once set can play their strokes as seen in past games here.

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Predicted Playing XIs

Central Punjab

Hasan Ali, leading the side, did a fine job of winning their game against Sindh comprehensively. If Babar Azam is fit, he will walk straight into the side. No other changes to their upcoming game against Southern Punjab are expected.

Predicted XI: Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal (wk), Saif Badar/Babar Azam, Hussain Talat, Shoaib Malik, Qasim Akram, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, Usman Qadir, Sameen Gul

Southern Punjab

The Southern Punjab batters were fantastic in their last game as they chased down 212 in the last over. Agha Salman top-scored with 68 and was well-supported by skipper Aamer Yamin. The bowlers struggled throughout the match and need to put in a better performance in their next outing.

Predicted XI: Zeeshan Ashraf, Sohaib Maqsood, Tayyab Tahir, Agha Salman, Khushdil Shah, Azam Khan (wk), Aamer Yamin (c), Hassan Khan, Faisal Akram, Zia-ul-Haq, Naseem Shah

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Match Prediction

Both sides have won their last games and will be looking to carry the winning momentum forward. Central Punjab won the game comprehensively whereas Southern Punjab had to fight hard for their first win of the competition.

Central Punjab look like a well-settled unit and are expected to stay at the top of the table with a win over Southern Punjab on Thursday.

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TV and live streaming details

TV: N/A

Live Streaming: Cricket Pakistan’s YouTube channel