Lahore Qalandars secured a commanding 79-run victory over Quetta Gladiators in the fourth match of the tenth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Fakhar Zaman and Sam Billings spearheaded the batting charge for the Qalandars, establishing a strong foundation for their comprehensive triumph. The team’s bowlers then delivered a clinical performance, dismantling the Gladiators’ batting line-up with precision and control.
From Lahore Qalandars, Rishad Hossain emerged as the standout performer with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets and stifling any momentum the Gladiators attempted to build.
Shaheen Afridi, Sikandar Raza, and Asif Afridi made significant contributions with the ball, each taking two wickets and tightening their team’s grip on the opposition’s batting order.
From Quetta Gladiators, Rilee Rossouw provided the only notable resistance with a composed innings of 44 runs. However, no other batter from their side offered any significant challenge, as the Qalandars’ bowlers dominated the proceedings from the outset.
Earlier, the Qalandars had set a formidable target of 220 runs for Quetta Gladiators after a dominant batting display in the fourth match of Pakistan Super League 10 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, Lahore Qalandars posted 219 runs for the loss of six wickets within their allotted overs. Their innings began with an early setback when opener Mohammad Naeem was bowled by Quetta leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed for 10 runs, leaving the score at 17 for one in 2.3 overs.
Despite the early loss, Lahore recovered swiftly. Batter Fakhar Zaman and top-order partner Abdullah Shafique forged a quick 56-run partnership for the second wicket. Shafique struck 37 off 21 deliveries before being dismissed by spinner Akeal Hosein in the eighth over, with the score at 73 for two.
Zaman anchored the innings with a fluent knock, reaching his 20th PSL half-century. He formed a crucial 80-run stand with middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell, pushing the total beyond the 150-run mark by the 15th over.
Abrar Ahmed returned to dismiss Mitchell for 37 in the 14.5th over, ending the third-wicket partnership at 153. Zaman followed an over later after scoring a blistering 67 from 39 balls, an innings that included seven fours and three sixes.
England’s Sam Billings then took charge, unleashing a powerful late assault despite Sikandar Raza falling cheaply for six. Billings remained unbeaten on 50 off just 19 deliveries, hitting four sixes.
Skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi was dismissed for seven runs in the final over.
Among Quetta’s bowling attack, Abrar Ahmed and Akeal Hosein were the most successful, each claiming two wickets. Faheem Ashraf and Usman Tariq secured one wicket apiece but were unable to contain Lahore’s aggressive batting.
TOSS
The Saud Shakeel-led Quetta Gladiators decided to bowl first against the Lahore Qalandars in the fourth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
PLAYING XI
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (c), Finn Allen, Hassan Nawaz, Kusal Mendis (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Shoaib Malik, Faheem Ashraf, Akeal Hosain, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings (wk), Sikandar Raza, Shaheen Afridi (c), Jahandad Khan, Rishad Hossain, Haris Rauf, Asif Afridi
