KARACHI – Islamabad United beat Quetta Gladiators by 39 runs in the Eliminator 1 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9 at Karachi’s National Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Batting first, Islamabad United scored 174 runs in 20 overs at the loss of 9 wickets. Chasing the target, Quetta Gladiators could score only 135 runs in 18.4 overs and the entire squad was bowled out.
Both teams, narrowly making it through the league stage, faced a pivotal challenge to keep their PSL 2024 hopes alive by securing victory in this knockout showdown. The winner will go head-to-head against Peshawar Zalmi the following day.
United wrapped up their league stage campaign with a remarkable triumph over table-toppers Multan Sultans.
In a thrilling encounter, the United franchise chased down a formidable target of 229 runs in Rawalpindi.
Despite their bowlers conceding a substantial number of runs, Islamabad received significant contributions from their dynamic opener Colin Munro (84) and captain Shadab Khan (54), setting the stage for a successful chase before lower-order batsmen Faheem Ashraf (23) and Imad Wasim (30*) sealed the victory.
On the flip side, the Gladiators faltered against the Sultans, suffering a significant 79-run defeat. Neither their bowling nor their batting, led by Rilee Rossouw, could withstand the onslaught from the opposition.
Apart from left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (0/26) and batsman Omair Yousuf (37), the Gladiators struggled to find any positives from the match. They must turn their fortunes around if they aim to emerge victorious in this crucial knockout match against Islamabad.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the National Bank Cricket Stadium in Karachi has favored the bowlers thus far and is anticipated to maintain its nature in Eliminator 1.
Playing XIs
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Hunain Shah, Naseem Shah, Tymal Mills
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Rilee Rossouw (c), Khawaja Nafay, Laurie Evans (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Omair Yousuf, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
