LAHORE (Dunya News) – Khawaja Nafay displayed stunning batting performance that helped Quetta Gladiators beat Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the fourth match of the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 9) at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Monday.
Nafay smashed unbeaten 60 off 31 ball while Saud Shakil made 40 runs as Gladiators surpassed the target of 188 runs with five balls spare. Opener Jason Roy racked up 24 runs.
Earlier, Shaheen Afridi won the toss and decided to bat first against Quetta Gladiators.
Qalandars' Sahibzada Farhan played a heroic knock of 62 off 43, racking up a strong opening total for his side despite poor performance from Fakhar Zaman, who was dismissed for 6.
After Rassie van der Dussen and Rassie van der Dussen were removed in a quick sessions, Jahandad Khan held the nerves and made unbeaten 45, helping his side to build a tough total 187 runs for the Gladiators.
The defending champions suffered the defeat despite getting a boost as all-rounders Sikandar Raza, a Pakistan-born-Zimbabwean, and West Indian Carlos Brathwaite joined the team earlier in the day.
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“Sikandar, known for his all-round skills and dynamic presence on the field, joins Lahore Qalandars with a wealth of experience. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds a valuable dimension to the team's strategy. He is part of Qalandars’ core and was retained in their roster but missed the opening game due to prior commitments in ILT20, which concluded on February 17 in Dubai,” the Qalandars said in a press release.
“Carlos Brathwaite, a T20 specialist and a renowned power-hitter, brings his explosive batting prowess and strategic bowling to the Lahore Qalandars lineup. He has been called up to strengthen the Qalandars' bench.
“Both players are set to be available for the entire tournament, starting today, adding depth and international flair to Lahore Qalandars' quest for glory.
“The team's management expresses confidence in the newly acquired talent and believes their addition will play a pivotal role in the squad's success.”