PHOTO COURTESY: PSL
Lahore Qalandars take on Islamabad United in the last league match of the inaugural HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the Azhar Ali-led men have to win this match to qualify for the play-offs.
Earlier today, Peshawar Zalmi beat Karachi Kings by five-wickets as Brad Hodge played an unbeaten 45-ball 85-run innings while chasing 153 runs.
If Lahore win today, they will move forward because of the head-to-head win count and if they lose then Karachi will qualify for the playoffs.
Islamabad were victorious in the last match against Lahore by eight wickets after openers Shane Watson and Sharjeel Khan gave United a blistering start in the 167-run chase.
Who will move forward into the playoffs? It will be decided here live. Catch all the action as it happens!
Teams
Islamabad: Sharjeel, Dwayne, Khalid, Asif, Misbah, Haddin, Mahmood, Ajmal, Ashar. Raeed, Irfan
Lahore: Azhar, Delport, Sohaib, Bravo, Rizwan, Umar, Cooper, Mendis, Adil, Rasool, Ziaul Haq
ISL 151-5 (19 overs)
WIDE AND FOUR! Lahore is out of the PSL and Karachi will take on Islamabad in the second playoff.
FOUR! Cover drive by the 40-year-old Azhar Mahmood. He still has that old class in him.
Misbah sweeps towards midwicket for a single too.
FOUR! Azhar goes square on off. Follows it up with a single.
Ajantha Mendis.
ISL 136-5 (18 overs)
15 off 12 needed by Islamabad.
FOUR! Bravo attempts a yorker, delivers a full-toss and Misbah swings at it. Runs past short fine leg.
Ziaul Haq with the blooper that could cause Lahore this match. He didn't even attempt a catch.
Dwayne Bravo bowls an important over. If Lahore can restrict scoring or get a few wickets then they are in the game.
ISL 128-5 (17 overs)
So the equation is very get-able for Islamabad; 23 needed off 18 balls - easy peasy in a T20 match.
T20 veteran Azhar Mahmood and pressure-tackling veteran Misbah out in the middle now. Can Azhar Ali turn the tables on these two?
LBW! Asif Ali struck on the pads by a full-toss. Ehsan celebrates with a Kabaddi pat on the thigh. Is there some late drama in the match? Misbah is still out there. His wicket will be important now.
Ehsan Adil in for his last over.
ISL 126-4 (16 overs)
Seven runs off the over.
Dwayne Bravo with his cutters.
ISL 119-4 (15 overs)
RUN OUT! Bowlers hits the stumps directly as Haddin runs towards the striker's end. Misbah gave the call, this time it was Haddin who hesitated and he now takes the long walk back.
FOURx2! Misbah targeting the fine leg and square leg area respectively.
FOUR! Flick of wrists from Misbah and he clears deep midwicket.
Ziaul Haq is back now. Two experienced veterans Misbah and Haddin bat for Islamabad.
ISL 107-3 (14 overs)
FOUR! A classy sweep from Misbah. Who says he can't play T20? Bring him back in the team for the World T20?
Two dots, a double and a single.
Azhar Ali now.
ISL 99-3 (13 overs)
FOUR! Misbah walks in and greets Mendis with a shot towards midwicket.
RUN OUT! Confusion between Khalid Latif and Haddin. The Australian called for it and ran, Azhar misfielded it but was quick to collect it and throw it at the keeper. Khalid ran late and was not able to reach in time. Misbahul Haq is the new man in.
Ajantha Mendis is back now.
ISL 93-2 (12 overs)
FIFTY up for Brad Haddin. A nice and sensible innings from the Australian.
Azhar Ali continues after the strategic time out.
ISL 87-2 (11 overs)
Another four off the over. Islamabad need 64 off 54 balls.
Ehsan Adil is back.
ISL 83-2 (10 overs)
Only four runs off the over. Haddin and Khalid still in the middle.
The captain Azhar Ali comes to bowl his leg-spinners. He wants to break this partnership.
ISL 79-2 (9 overs)
FOUR! Cut past backward point fielder by Haddin.
SIX! Bravo with a slow delivery and Haddin goes over long-on. Umar tries to get a hand to it but is only able to trip over.
Dwayne Bravo now.
ISL 66-2 (8 overs)
FOUR! Sweetly kissed past the keeper and short third man by Haddin.
Cameron Delport brought on to operate now. He can cut the pace and make batsmen put in extra effort for runs.
ISL 58-2 (7 overs)
FOUR! Leggish and Khalid goes past the short fine leg fielder.
Carrom ball expert Ajantha Mendis on for Lahore.
ISL 48-2 (6 overs)
SIX! Haddin goes hard over extra cover.
FOUR! Khalid Latif goes towards fine leg with the fielder up in the circle.
Ziaul Haq in for his third over on the trot.
ISL 36-2 (5 overs)
Four runs off the over as Dwayne Bravo was called in.
This shot - it's not so much the length but the line, outside off, that makes the shot astounding. https://t.co/teNXaqIZ8X
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) February 17, 2016
ISL 32-2 (4 overs)
FOURx2! Haddin with two boundaries. One runs over the squadron as Haddin top-edges it. For the second one, he goes through covers.
OUT! Sharjeel skies it and Rizwan comes under it to bag it safely.
Ziaul Haq.
ISL 24-1 (3 overs)
FOUR! Straight down the ground by Haddin.
DROPPED! It was a difficult take. Adnan Rasool was running full-speed backwards but the ball bounces on him and he spills it. Good try, but if it was caught it would have been a stunner!
Ehsan Adil in again.
ISL 15-1 (2 overs)
OUT! Dwayne Smith edges it to the keeper. Qalandars strike!
Left-armer Ziaul Haq shares the new ball.
ISL 8-0 (1 over)
FOUR! Short and wide and Smith stands and delivers. Goes through covers.
Islamabad United have sent Sharjeel Khan and Dwayne Smith to open. Ehsan Adil has the ball for Lahore.
LHR 150-5 (20 overs)
SIX! Umar with a blistering strike over midwicket and he is unbeaten on 72.
RUN OUT! Bravo misses and runs, Raees collects the ball and hits the non-striker's stumps.
Two taken by Umar.
FOUR! Full-toss and Umar just swing wildly at it. One bounce and it crosses the boundary.
Bravo takes a single on the first official ball of the over.
Rumman Raees bowls the last over and starts with a wide down the leg side.
LHR 135-4 (19 overs)
FOUR! Umar finds the square leg boundary and Lahore go into the final over happy that they have a good score on board.
Misfield by Misbah at covers gives Umar the chance to take two.
A bye as Bravo swings and misses.
SIX! Slow and short, Bravo waits and unshackles his hands over deep midwicket.
Bravo misses the first ball, takes two on the second.
Azhar Mahmood has been the given ball for the penultimate over.
LHR 120-4 (18 overs)
FOUR! Slow ball again and Umar just nudges it towards third man boundary. FIFTY up for the youngest Akmal.
SIX! Slow ball and Umar whirls on it; hit over square leg.
Rumman Raees is back in the attack.
LHR 107-4 (17 overs)
Four runs off the over at a crucial stage.
Saeed Ajmal on again.
LHR 103-4 (16 overs)
OUT! Sohaib goes rogue for the first time and is caught at deep midwicket. Dwayne Bravo joins Umar Akmal in the middle.
FOUR! A blistering cover drive by Sohaib. He is in such sublime form today.
SIX! Umar Akmal disrespects a short ball. Pulls it over deep midwicket.
Muhammad Irfan is back for the death overs.
LHR 90-3 (15 overs)
FIFTY up for Sohaib Maqsood. He is back in form and has delivered at an important time for his team.
Saeed Ajmal in for his second over. Will Umar and Sohaib take him on?
LHR 81-3 (14 overs)
Strategic time out...
FOUR! Sohaib steps forward and waits on the slow back of the length ball to smash it over the bowler's head.
Ashar Zaidi in for his fourth and last over.
LHR 72-3 (13 overs)
Four runs off the over. Umar and Sohaib not taking any risks against spinners.
So Misbah asks Saeed Ajmal to come on now.
LHR 68-3 (12 overs)
FOUR! Fuller delivery dug out by Sohaib and sent towards square leg.
FOUR! Driven nicely through covers by Umar Akmal.
Dwayne Smith runs in for his second over.
LHR 58-3 (11 overs)
Ashar Zaidi goes for only four runs in his third over.
LHR 54-3 (10 overs)
FOUR! Cut through covers by Umar.
SIX! A great pick up shot by Sohaib. Sent over deep midwicket.
Dwayne Smith comes on to bowl. No Saeed Ajmal till now.
LHR 42-3 (9 overs)
Four singles off the first five overs. A dot on the last ball.
Ashar Zaidi in for his second over.
LHR 38-3 (8 overs)
FOUR! Short and top edge gives Sohaib a boundary over the keeper's head.
Azhar Mahmood continues. Starts with three dot balls.
LHR 33-3 (7 overs)
Five runs off the over. Lahore need these two to fire and that too soon.
Left-arm spin now as Ashar Zaidi comes on to bowl.
LHR 28-3 (6 overs)
FOUR! Uppish cover drive from Sohaib.
SIX! Length ball struck cleanly over deep midwicket. First boundary of the match.
Azhar Mahmood, the Pakistani T20 veteran, comes on to bowl.
LHR 12-3 (5 overs)
Muhammad Irfan goes for three runs in the over. Seems more like a Test match right now.
LHR 9-3 (4 overs)
Only two runs off the over.
Rumman Raees runs in for his second over. Another wicket for him?
LHR 7-3 (3 overs)
OUT! Short ball pulled by Rizwan and short midwicket fielder takes an easy catch. Khalid Latif is happy and so is Irfan. Umar Akmal is the new batsman in.
HALF CHANCE! Azhar Mahmood has some kind of affinity for slip catches. This one just bounces in front of him.
Irfan in for his second over.
LHR 5-2 (2 overs)
Muhammad Rizwan and Sohaib Maqsood are in the middle for Lahore.
OUT! Cameron Delport this time. Azhar Mahmood takes another catch at first slip.
Rumman Raeed shares the new ball with Irfan.
LHR 4-1 (1 over)
OUT! Edge and Azhar Ali is caught at first slip. Lahore off to a bad start here.
Irfan start off with a wide delivery. Follows it up with another one down the leg side.
Tall left-armer Muhammad Irfan opens the bowling for Islamabad. Azhar Ali and Cameron Delport will be will wielding the willow top of the order for Lahore.
Misbahul Haq has decided to ball first after winning the toss. Azhar Ali surely seemed disappointed but the handshake was done in good faith by both skippers.
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