Pakistan Super League Match 21: Islamabad United beat Quetta Gladiators by 2 wickets

Shadab Khan(C) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (C)

©HBL PSL 8

Islamabad United beat Quetta Gladiators by 2 wickets, in Match 21 of the Pakistan Super League, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, today.

Match Summary

Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators, 21st Match, Pakistan Super League

Islamabad United 183/8 (19.3 ov)

Quetta Gladiators 179/6 (20 ov)

Result - Islamabad United won by 2 wickets

SCORECARD

Shehzaday! Captain @iFaheemAshraf smooth-sailing his team towards victory ??#HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray | #IUvQG pic.twitter.com/QfFzej2DiT

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 5, 2023

Match Analysis

Faheem Ashraf smashed three consecutive boundaries in the final over of the match to help Islamabad United complete a nervy chase of the 180-run target against Quetta Gladiators. Colin Munro’s blazing half-century had put Islamabad United into a commanding position by the end of the Powerplay, before a spectacular middle-order collapse threatened to derail the home side’s chase but Azam Khan and Faheem’s calm contributions ensured they achieved their fifth win of the season.

Quetta Gladiators were condemned to a horrible start to their innings after being put into bat first by Shadab Khan. The wickets kept tumbling for the visitors as they were reduced to 17-4 in the sixth over with Fazalhaq Farooqi’s nippy swing and accurate lines accounting for two scalps in the initial burst.

The pair of Najibullah Zadran (59 off 34) and Mohammad Nawaz (52 off 44) added 104 runs off 64 deliveries for the fifth wicket, reviving Quetta Gladiators’ innings. Najibullah was the aggressor of the two as he reached his fifty off 28 balls and smoked a total of five boundaries and three sixes in his brilliant knock.

Nawaz’s dismissal in the 17th over off Fazalhaq brought Umar Akmal to the crease, who slammed a quick-fire 43 not out off just 14 balls to propel Quetta Gladiators’ score to 179-6. Umar batted with an explosive strike-rate of 307.14 and walloped five maximums and two fours in his breezy knock.

In reply, Naseem Shah struck early to remove Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck but Alex Hales and Munro launched a breathtaking counterattack to rack up 51 runs in the first four overs. Hales was soon dismissed for 12 off 9 by Naveen-ul-Haq when he tried to force a slower delivery through cover but directed it straight to Najibullah.

Munro continued his charge on the other end, smacking four sixes and five fours in his 29-ball 63 and was removed by Iftikhar Ahmed in the eighth over as he searched for another maximum. From 96-2, Islamabad United crashed to 111-6 in the 12th over but the top-order blitz meant Azam and Faheem could afford to be circumspect in their approach and take the game deep.

The seventh-wicket partnership between the two yielded 58 runs in 44 balls before Azam (35 off 25) and Hasan Ali’s wickets in the penultimate over of the chase bowled by Umaid Asif added some late drama. Faheem (39 not out off 31) then drilled three fours in succession off Odean Smith to pull off a two-wicket triumph for his side.

Umaid registered 3-37 while Nawaz finished with figures of 2-17 in his four overs following his impressive outing with the bat.  

Quetta Gladiators Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Will Smeed - 0.6 ov), 2-8 (Yasir Khan - 2.3 ov), 3-12 (Sarfaraz Ahmed - 3.3 ov), 4-17 (Iftikhar Ahmed - 5.3 ov), 5-121 (Mohammad Nawaz - 16.1 ov), 6-154 (Najibullah Zadran - 18.2 ov)

Islamabad United Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz - 0.2 ov), 2-52 (Alex Hales - 4.3 ov), 3-96 (Shadab Khan - 6.6 ov), 4-96 (Colin Munro - 7.1 ov), 5-102 (Mubasir Khan - 8.6 ov), 6-111 (Asif Ali - 11.1 ov), 7-169 (Azam Khan - 18.3 ov), 8-171 (Hasan Ali - 18.6 ov)

Playing XIs

Islamabad United: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Azam Khan(WK), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan(C), Faheem Ashraf, Mubasir Khan, Hasan Ali,Rumman Raees, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Quetta Gladiators: Yasir Khan, Will Smeed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Najibullah Zadran, Sarfaraz Ahmed(WK/C), Umar Akmal, Mohammad Nawaz, Odean Smith, Umaid Asif, Naveen-ul-Haq, Naseem Shah

Match Details:

Date: Sunday, March 5, 2023 14:00

Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Toss: Islamabad United elected to bowl