Quetta Gladiators defeated Lahore Qalandars by 6 wickets in the 28th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 at the National Stadium, Karachi.
The toss was won by Shaheen Shah Afridi who elected to bat first.
Sahibzada Farhan and Tahir Baig came out to open the innings, while Mohammad Amir was handed the new ball. The third over brought some aggression as Farhan hit Amir for two boundaries.
Abrar Ahmed’s spin brought the first two wickets in the 6th over, as Farhan and Tahir gave catches; the powerplay ended with LQ at 39-2.
Abdullah Shafique tried to counter-attack, but he lost his partner Shai Hope in the 10th over courtesy a brilliant catch from makeshift wicket-keeper Laurie Evans. Qalandars stood at 70-3 at mid-innings.
Promoting himself up the order, Shaheen constructed carnage, with Abdullah aiding him. Akeal Husein was hit for three sixes in the 15th over; LQ stood at 122-3 after 15.
Hitting Abrar for two sixes, the left-arm pacer completed his 2nd T20 half-century in the 17th over. A slightly slower Abdullah brought up his fifty in the 18th over as LQ looked to accelerate further.
Shaheen lost his wicket in the last over courtesy a not-so-difficult catch made difficult from Sohail Khan. Qalandars ended at 166-4.
Abrar remained the most impressive bowler, recording figures of 4-0-31-2. Mohammad Wasim was impressive as well, 4-0-28-1, while Amir went for 4-0-30-1. Sohail Khan bowled an economical spell, 4-0-25-0.
Jason Roy initiated the Quetta innings with three consecutive boundaries on the first three balls of the chase; Shaheen wasn’t amazed. Pacer Jahandad Khan produced the first wicket when he induced Roy’s edge in the 6th over; QG made 43-1 in the powerplay.
Quetta lost their second wicket in the 9th over as Jahandad took his second of the night by dismissing Rilee Rossouw for 13; QG stood at 72-2 after 10.
Saud Shakeel and Khawaja Nafay stabilized the chase as the left-hander got to his 50 in the 13th over; QG reached 113-2 after 15. Shaheen got the wicket of Nafay, who went back after scoring at a strike-rate of 108.33, in the 18th over.
Bowling the last over, LQ’s captain got the wicket of Laurie Evans on the first ball. Requiring four off the last ball, newcomer Mohammad Wasim hit the ball into the stands to win it for QG.
Saud Shakeel, 88*, remained the hero who steered the innings at various stages.
Jahandad was the hero in terms of wickets, 4-0-30-2, while George Linde bowled an economical spell, 4-0-3-0.
Saud Shakeel was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his batting performance.
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