A commanding all-round display by Quetta Gladiators saw them thrash Islamabad United by a massive 109-run margin in the 26th fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Set a mammoth 264-run target, the defending champions crumbled under pressure and were bundled out for 154 in 19.3 overs, succumbing to their fourth consecutive defeat after an impressive five-match winning streak to start the tournament.
Islamabad’s chase got off to a disastrous start as Mohammad Amir struck twice in the opening over, removing both openers — Kyle Mayers for a duck and Sahibzada Farhan for just one — leaving the side reeling at 2 wickets down for just 1 run.
Wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Shahzad tried to rebuild with brief stands alongside acting captain Salman Ali Agha (6) and Mohammad Nawaz, but Wasim Jr removed Shahzad in the fourth over after a brisk 24 off 13 balls, which included three boundaries and a six.
Mohammad Nawaz departed soon after, scoring 10 off four balls before falling to Khurram Shahzad, triggering a rapid collapse that saw United slump to 8 wickets down for 68 runs inside nine overs.
Imad Wasim and Ben Dwarshuis added a glimmer of resistance with a 55-run stand for the ninth wicket. Dwarshuis chipped in with 31 off 24 balls, hitting one four and two sixes, while Imad top-scored with a fighting 56 off 41 balls, striking five boundaries and two maximums before falling to Wasim Jr in the final over.
Amir was the standout bowler for the Gladiators, taking three wickets for just six runs in his two overs. He was supported by Wasim Jr and Abrar Ahmed, who bagged two each, while Faheem Ashraf, Khurram Shahzad and skipper Saud Shakeel chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Earlier, Rilee Rossouw and Hasan Nawaz scored swashbuckling centuries and powered Quetta Gladiators to the highest-ever total in the PSL.
United’s stand-in captain, Salman Ali Agha’s decision to bowl first backfired as Gladiators accumulated 263/3 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of a marathon 134-run partnership between centurions Rossouw and Nawaz.
The leaders, however, got off to a shaky start to their innings as their opening pair of Saud Shakeel and Finn Allen (five) put together 24 runs until the latter got run out in the third over.
Shakeel then shared a brisk 36-run partnership with Rossouw until falling victim to Naseem Shah in the last over of the batting powerplay. The skipper made 23 off 18 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.
Following his dismissal, Rossouw joined forces with Hasan, and together they steered Gladiators into a commanding position by adding 134 runs for the second wicket.
Rossouw, who was the core aggressor of the crucial stand, was eventually dismissed by Imad Wasim in the 16th over when the Gladiators were nearing the 200-run mark.
The South African batter top-scored for the Gladiators with a 46-ball 104, studded with 20 boundaries, including six sixes.
Nawaz, on the other hand, batted until the end and made a significant contribution with an unbeaten 100 off 45 deliveries, comprising nine fours and four sixes.
The middle-order batter was involved in another crucial partnership for the Gladiators when he added 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Mark Chapman, who made 13 not out from eight deliveries.
For United, Imad Wasim and Naseem Shah could pick up a wicket apiece.
Squads:
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah (all platinum), Azam Khan, Imad Wasim and Jason Holder (all diamond), Haider Ali, Salman Ali Agha and Ben Dwarshuis (all gold), Colin Munro, Rumman Raees, Andries Gous, Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Irshad (all silver), Hunain Shah and Saad Masood (both emerging), Kyle Mayers, Mohammad Faiq, Sahibzada Farhan, Muhammad Shahzad and Riley Meredith (all supplementary).
Quetta Gladiators: Finn Allen, Faheem Ashraf and Mark Chapman (all platinum), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Rilee Rossouw (all diamond), Akeal Hossein, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Saud Shakeel (all gold), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Tariq, Haseebullah Khan and Khurram Shahzad (all silver), Kyle Jamieson and Hasan Nawaz (both emerging), Mohammad Zeeshan, Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis and Sean Abbott (all supplementary).
