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UPDATE - Both the games then have been called off! The rain was relentless and the teams will share a point each. PSL continues on Sunday. Let us hope we have better weather and a full game. It is a clash between Karachi and Multan. That begins at 1930 IST (1400 GMT). Till then, take care and goodbye!

The action has now shifted to Rawalpindi and it wasn't the best of starts! The first game here was abandoned even without the toss. It is time for the second game and it is a clash between Quetta and Islamabad. The teams have enjoyed contrasting fates so far. Quetta have been the side to beat alongside Multan but Islamabad have been struggling. They though head into this game on the back of a win. They can well be a dangerous side and that win can probably be the turning point for them. Quetta though are a side in form and are high in confidence. Let's hope we get an absolute cracker. Stay tuned for the toss and teams in a bit.

... MATCH DAY ...

The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is all set to host the 18th Match of the Pakistan Super League 2024, which will be played between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators. Both teams are coming off wins in their last contests, with the Gladiators currently in the top 2 with four wins and just a solitary defeat. Whereas, Islamabad United, under the leadership of Shadab Khan, are stacked in the middle of the ladder with three defeats and a couple of wins from their five games so far. Talking about Quetta Gladiators, their last match was nothing short of nerve-wracking against Karachi Kings, as it went down to the wire and the 240th ball determined the contest's victor. Inviting Kings to bat first, Akeal Hosein, in the very second delivery of the match, provided them a breakthrough, but after that, they sort of slipped and leaked a lot of runs in the first six overs. It was Usman Tariq who pulled back the momentum toward them by striking a double wicket in a single over. These two scalps kind of applied breaks to the Kings' innings but runs kept flowing at a gentle pace. Akeal Hosein was brought back into the attack for his other spell and the trick worked as he dismissed the dangerous Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed mounted the pressure in the overs to follow. Of what once looked like a 180-plus score, Abrar's crafty bowling in the backend did the job to restrict them. Coming to chase, the Gladiators started off to a flier with Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel's aggressive batting. Roy with four sixes and two boundaries reached his fifty in no time and provided a strong plinth to their chase. But sooner, after Saud Shakeel's dismissal, a streak of wickets followed with the in-form duo of Khawaja Nafay and skipper Rilee Rossouw getting out on single-digit scores and that too, in quick successions, and Jason Roy who was throttling fast, fell victim to Shoaib's mastery and perished. Losing crucial wickets in the middle overs created a bit of wobble on the Gladiators, but Sherfane Rutherford and Akeal Hosein, the Caribbean duo, made sure that it doesn't remain as a status-quo as both of them upped the ante and counterpunched. Especially Sherfane Rutherford who smashed 6 gigantic sixes and notched a quickfire half-century, along with Akeal Hosein who played a responsible anchor role and didn't throw his wicket away. As a result, these two blokes carried Gladiators deep in the game with the equation being 15 runs required off the last six rocks, which were indeed dramatic, to say the least. Ruthless Rutherford hoisted two gigantic sixes in the first two balls and stamped his authority. With a run-a-ball needed off the last three balls, they cruised to the win and registered their fourth victory of this season. On the other hand, Islamabad United have also tasted a win after three consecutive defeats. Bowling first, they were invited to chase a par total of 166. Imad Wasim, Naseem Shah, and Agha Salman picked one each. Entering the chase, the aggressive southpaw, Colin Munro and Alex Hales wreaked havoc on the Karachi bowlers showing no mercy at all with the former mounting a blistering 82 with eight boundaries and four maximums. Alex Hales equally helped the run rate to propel at mid-9s with his attacking 47. With a sensational opening stand, their position in the contest got rock-solid and as a result, Agha Salman and the middle order helped United to cruise to the winning line with ease and won the contest by seven wickets and 9 balls remaining. Coming into this clash, Quetta would want their bowlers to tighten the screws in the Powerplay whereas Islamabad United will aim to capitalise on their well-earned clinical win. Whose side are you on?