Quetta Gladiators pulled off a thrilling two-wicket victory over Islamabad United in a high-stakes HBL PSL X encounter, chasing down a 158-run target with just one ball to spare at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Quetta restricted Islamabad United to 157 for 9 in 20 overs. The decision paid off, despite a strong start from United’s top order.
Sahibzada Farhan gave United early momentum with a blistering 39 off 24 balls, striking four sixes and two boundaries. He was supported by Kyle Mayers, who made 22 off 17 deliveries. However, the middle order stumbled as Colin Munro (9), captain Agha Salman (0), and Andries Gous (8) fell in quick succession.
Mohammad Nawaz stood tall amid the collapse, anchoring the innings with a fighting 49 off 34 balls, which included five massive sixes. Lower-order contributions from Haider Ali (10) and Jason Holder (14*) helped Islamabad scored 157.
Faheem Ashraf was the pick of Quetta’s bowlers, claiming 4 for 25 in a game-changing spell. Abrar Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Kyle Jamieson, and Khurram Shahzad each picked up a wicket, maintaining pressure throughout.
In reply, Quetta Gladiators got off to a steady start, though captain Saud Shakeel departed early for 7. Finn Allen added a brisk 20 off 13 before falling to Naseem Shah. Rilee Rossouw contributed 27 before a mix-up led to his run-out.
The chase was anchored by youngster Hasan Nawaz, who remained unbeaten on 64 off just 41 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes in a match-winning knock. Despite a flurry of wickets in the middle and lower order, Nawaz held firm to take Quetta over the line in the final over.
Mohammad Wasim’s quickfire 16 and crucial support from tailender Khurram Shahzad helped seal the win. Salman Irshad and Naseem Shah each picked up two wickets for Islamabad, but their efforts were not enough to prevent the defeat.
With this win, Quetta Gladiators climbed the points table and boosted their playoff hopes, while Islamabad United, despite remaining near the top, suffered their third consecutive loss.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ