Multan Sultans, the newest side in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), will lock horns with Islamabad United in a few hours for the sixth fixture of the ongoing tournament.

The result of the match, being played in Dubai, is anything but a foregone conclusion: the Sultans have remained undefeated so far, whereas United, despite their defeat to Peshawar Zalmi in an earlier match of the PSL, have proved they are a formidable bowling side with the ability to rope in any runaway run-scorer.

United have the right combination — a good mixture of experienced international players with young domestic talent — in every facet of the game. Led by Misbah-ul-Haq, they have equipped themselves with Waqar Younis as director of cricket, spin maestro Saeed Ajmal as spin bowling coach and Australia's Dean Jones at the head coaching position.

The spirit at the Sultans camp is similarly high, duly because of their stellar run in the tournament so far, and especially against defending champions Zalmi.

A glance at the Sultans shows they have assembled a sharp squad, leaving almost no loopholes.

T20 veteran Shoaib Malik is leading as captain. The team is also backed by dependable run-scorers like Kieron Pollard, Ahmed Shehzad, Darren Bravo, Kumar Sangakkara, Sohaib Maqsood and globetrotter Sohail Tanvir. With this composition, batting will be their strongest suit.

Squads:

Multan Sultans

Shoaib Maik (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Sohaib Maqsood, Abdullah Shafiq, Darren Bravo, Saif Badar, Umar Siddiq, Shan Masood, Sohail Tanvir, Kieron Pollard, Kashif Bhatti, Ross Whiteley, Kumar Sangakkara, Nicholas Pooran, Umar Gul, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir (cover: Thisara Perera), Irfan Khan, Mohammad Abbas, and Hardus Viljoen.

Islamabad United

Misbah ul Haq (captain), Alex Hales, Asif Ali, JP Duminy, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sahibzada Farhan, Amad Butt, Andre Russell, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Hussain Talat, Steven Finn (replaced David Willey), Sam Billings, Luke Ronchi, Mohammad Hasan, Rohail Nazir, Mohammad Sami, Rumman Raees (vice captain), Samuel Badree, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Hasnain, Samit Patel (as cover for Asela Gunaratne who was a cover for JP Duminy), and Chadwick Walton (cover for Sam Billings).