PSL8, Match 26: Lahore Qalandars beat Islamabad United by record 119 runs

RAWALPINDI – Table toppers Lahore Qalandars beat Islamabad United by 119 runs in the 26th match of the Pakistan Super League season 8 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Lahore Qalandars won the toss and registered a total of 226 runs against Islamabad United in 20 overs at the loss of five wickets. Chasing the target, the entire Islamabad United squad was sent packing for 107 runs in 15.1 overs.

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Fakhar made the best of the dropped catches at two (by Asif Ali off Hasan Ali) and 72 (by Hasan Ali off Shadab Khan) to score 115, his second HBL PSL century, as Lahore Qalandars posted 226 for five after electing to bat first.

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Islamabad United, which has already qualified for the play-offs, had no chance against a world-class Lahore Qalandars bowling attack after they managed 50 for two in the PowerPlay overs before Rashid Khan ran through the middle-order on way to figures of four for 21 as the home side was spun out for 107 in 15.1 overs with Azam Khan absent hurt after injuring his left hand while keeping wickets.

The 119-run defeat was the heaviest in the history of HBL PSL, while it was Lahore Qalandars’ second successive victory over Islamabad United by a margin of over 100 runs. The champions had recorded a 110-run victory at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Shaheen Afridi-led Qalandars have now bagged six out of their seven last games in the country’s leading Twenty-20 league and are in top form despite losing against Peshawar Zalmi in their last match.

United, on the other hand, have clinched five out of seven games and only lost to Lahore Qalandars in this season.

Lahore Qalandars’ opponent on 15 March at the Gaddafi Stadium will be decided on Sunday in Rawalpindi when Islamabad United will take on Peshawar Zalmi at 2pm. Meanwhile, Friday’s winner between Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans will become the third side to qualify for the play-off, with the winner of Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans match in Rawalpindi on Saturday will complete the play-offs line-up.

Squads

Islamabad United: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Shadab Khan (c), Mubasir Khan, Azam Khan (wk), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Rumman Raees, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Shawaiz Irfan, Sam Billings (wk), Abdullah Shafique, Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, Rashid Khan, David Wiese, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

PSL8, Match 16: Lahore Qalandars hand Islamabad United a crushing defeat