Sports

Qalandars record comprehensive win against Gladiators

By Alam Zeb Safi

February 22, 2023

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars produced a stunning show both with the bat and the ball and whipped Quetta Gladiators by 63 runs in their HBL PSL 8 game here at the flood-lit National Stadium on Tuesday.

This was the second victory for Lahore in three games. Quetta tasted their third defeat in four matches.

Shai Hope (47) and a few explosive contributions from Sikandar Raza (32*), Mirza Tahir Baig (31) and Hussain Talat (26) catapulted Lahore to 198-6.

David Wiese (3-23) and Shaheen Afridi (3-22) then restricted Gladiators to 135-8 with Jason Roy top-scoring with a quick-fire 48.

Set to chase 199, Quetta lost Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (0) in the first over, trapped lbw by Shaheen Afridi through a lethal yorker. Jason Roy and Martin Guptill looked dangerous. They added 47 quick runs for the second wicket before David Wiese got rid of Guptill (15), held by Mirza Baig at short third man. Guptill struck one four from 18 balls.

Jason Roy kept going but he was denied his first fifty when he was bowled by Afghan leggie Rashid Khan (1-17) with a faster one. Roy hit five sixes and one four in his explosive 30-ball 48. Roy hit Haris Rauf for three sixes in his first over which yielded 19 runs.

In-form Iftikhar Ahmed also failed to click and was undone by David Wiese, held in the deep by Fakhar Zaman for just six. Quetta were 93-4 in the 13th over. Mohammad Nawaz was promoted but he failed, dislodged by spinner Sikandar Raza for only two before David Wiese removed Mohammad Hafeez to leave Quetta reeling at 101-6.

Hafeez struck two sixes in his 22-ball 25. Shaheen Afridi got the wickets of Odean Smith (9) and Qais Ahmad (9) to play a key role in his team’s success.

After being invited to bat, Qalandars had an explosive start through Fakhar Zaman and Mirza Tahir Baig. The duo scored 49 in just 4.3 overs before Odean Smith had Fakhar who edged a rising delivery to keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed. Fakhar hit four fours and a huge six off Hasnain in his 13-ball 25.

And soon afterwards, Mohammad Nawaz dislodged Tahir Baig who skied the ball to Martin Guptill at mid-on. Tahir, who scored 14 runs in the first over from Mohammad Hafeez, smashed 15-ball 31, striking two sixes and four fours.

However, Shai Hope and Kamran Ghulam built on the fine start and shared 56 off 36 balls for the third wicket. Leggie Qais Ahmad removed Kamran, stumped by Sarfaraz after the right-hander came well down the wicket. Kamran struck two fours in 17-ball 21.

Shai Hope looked dangerous as he was timing the ball well. It was Odean Smith who removed him in the 15th over when he skied the ball to Iftikhar in the deep. Hope struck five fours and a six in his superb 32-ball 47. Lahore were 146-4 in the 15th over.

Immediately afterwards, Qais Ahmad got rid of Hussain Talat, held by Martin Guptill at deep mid-off. The left-hander struck an explosive 13-ball 26, hammering two fours and a huge six.

Hasnain then bowled David Wiese (1) with a perfect delivery. Sikandar Raza used long handle, scoring a 16-ball 32 not out, with one four and two sixes off the bowling of Naseem Shah.

Qais Ahmed (2-36) and Odean Smith (2-41) led Quetta’s bowling pack.

Quetta went unchanged while Lahore Qalandars made one change, inducting Rashid Khan in place of Liam Dawson.

Score Board

Quetta Gladiators won the toss

Lahore Qalandars Innings:

Baig c Guptill b Nawaz 31

Zaman c Sarfaraz b Smith 22

Ghulam st Sarfaraz b Qais Ahmad 21

Hope c Iftikhar b Smith 47

Talat c Guptill b Qais Ahmad 26

Raza not out 32

Wiese b Hasnain 1