PSL 8: Qalandars outfox Gladiators as Hope, pacers shine
Cricket
PSL 8: Shaheen, Wiese bag three wickets apiece
KARACHI (Web Desk) – Shai Hope’s blistering 32-ball 47 and pacers cruised Lahore Qalandars to 63-run victory against Quetta Gladiators in the 10th match of the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Karachi on Tuesday.
GLADIATORS' INNINGS
Chasing a target of 199, Qalandars bowlers applied a coup de grace, restricting the Gladiators to 135-8 in 20 overs. Only four batters – Martin Guptill, Jason Roy, Mohammad Hafeez and Sarfaraz Ahmed – could reach the double figures.
Qalandars’ skipper Shaheen Afridi turned out to be lethal with his bowling as he trapped Abdul Bangalzai on duck. But Roy chipped in and helped the Gladiators to plunder 49 runs in the first six overs.
David Wiese, once again justified his position in the Qalandars XI. He cleaned up Guptill in a crucial stage. Guptill scored 18-ball 15, smashing merely a boundary. With the Guptill’s dismissal, pressure mounted on Jason Roy. Mohammad Hafeez joined Roy. Spin wizard Rashid Khan sent packing Jason Roy, who was looking belligerent for his 30-ball 48, laced with five sixes and a boundary.
Pressure was mounted on the Gladiators, when Iftikhar Ahmed joined veteran Hafeez. Iftikhar was undone by David Wiese on 10-ball 6. Mohammad Nawaz out for 2, courtesy Sikandar Raza’s clever bowling.
Mohammad Hafeez could manage to score 22-ball 25, laced with two sixes. Shaheen got rid of the 42-year-old.
It was too late for skipper Sarfaraz to improvise. He remained unbeaten, scoring 14-ball 16, smashing a boundary. Qais Ahmad scored 7-ball 9. Mohammad Hasnain remained unbeaten on 2-ball 1.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-22) was absolutely brilliant as he flummoxed the Gladiators’ batters to bag three wickets and was amazingly supported by David Wiese (3-23) who also grabbed three wickets.
Rashid Khan was clinical with the leather, giving away 17 runs and bagging an important wicket of Roy. Sikandar Raza (1-17) took a scalp each.
Zaman Khan, Haris Rauf and Hussain Talat remained wicketless.
QALANDARS' INNINGS
After the Qalandars were put into bat, Shai Hope’s blistering 32-ball 47 and Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten 16-ball 32 steered Lahore Qalandars to mammoth 198-6 against Quetta Gladiators in the domestic premium tournament.
Both the openers, Mirza Baig and Fakhar Zaman were looking lethal. Across 27 balls, the two scored 49. Mirza Baig played a special knock of 15-ball 31, smashing four boundaries and two sixes.
Fakhar Zaman looked good for 14-ball 22, clobbering three fours and one gigantic six.
Mohammad Nawaz cleaned up Mirza Baig and Fakhar was removed by Odean Smith.
Despite losing both the openers in the powerplay, Qalandars batters were not going to spare the Gladiators bowlers. In the first six overs, Qalandars plundered 65 with the loss of two wickets.
The best thing about the Qalandars’ innings was a solid partnership between Shai Hope and Kamran Ghulam. Across 37 balls, the pair scored 56.
While, Shai Hope also made a useful partnership with Hussain Talat. Across 18 balls, 28 runs were stolen by Hope and Talat.
To ensure the Qalandars post a massive total, Sikandar Raza and Rashid Khan – who recently joined Qalandars – formed an unbeaten partnership. Across 16 balls, Raza and Rashid scored 28.
Kamran Ghulam and Hussain Talat played a cameo of 17-ball 21 and 13-ball 26, respectively. Kamran Ghulam smashed two boundaries, while Hussain Talat clobbered two fours and a towering six.
Shai Hope played a clever knock, scoring 32-ball 47, laced with five boundaries and a maximum.
Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza had once again showed some serious intent with a willow and went on to score a blitzing 16-ball 32 in the death overs remaining unbeaten. Raza whacked two sixes and a boundary.
There was nothing special to talk about the Gladiators’ bowlers, with the exception of Qais Ahmad (2-36) and Odean Smith (2-41), who bagged two wickets each. But both of them went out to be expensive. Mohammad Hasnain (1-32), who was brilliant in his last outing, bagged a wicket. Mohammad Nawaz (1-26) also took a scalp.
Naseem Shah (0-47) was not up to the mark with his bowling and gave away 47, bagging no wicket. Mohammad Hafeez, who bowled a single over, conceded 14 runs and remained wicketless.
— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) February 21, 2023
TOSS
Quetta Gladiators opted to field first against Lahore Qalandars in the marquee tournament.
Quetta Gladiators
Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Odean Smith, Abdul Bangalzai, Mohammad Hafeez, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Qais Ahmad
Lahore Qalandars
Fakhar Zaman, Tahir Baig, Shai Hope (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan
— Quetta Gladiators (@TeamQuetta) February 21, 2023
