LAHORE – Lahore Qalandars beat Quetta Gladiators by 17 runs in the 18th match of the Pakistan Super League 8 (PSL8) at Gaddafi Stadium today (Thursday).
Earlier, Quetta Gladiators displayed excellent bowling and restricted the table toppers from building a big target. Batting first, Lahore Qalandars scored 148 runs in 19.2 overs at the loss of all 10 wickets. Chasing the target, the entire Quetta Gladiators team collapsed at 131 in 20 overs at the loss of seven wickets.
Gladiators bowled out Qalandars for 148 with four ball spare in 20 overs. The Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side dismantled the opening and middle order before Sikandar Raza played heroic to help team set a reasonable total.
Rashid Khan made 21 runs while no other player could cross the 20-run mark due to impressive bowling by Mohammad Nawaz, Naveenul Haq, Naseem Shah and others.
Earlier, Gladiators won the toss and opted to field first.
After flying high with back-to-back wins in the country’s flagship tournament, Shaheen Afridi-led Qalandars are set for another power-packed action at home ground. Playing at the same stadium in previous clashes, Qalandars managed to bag both of their fixtures.
Gladiators, after facing multiple blows in the ongoing Twenty20 league, will be looking for a comeback. The squad earlier was outfoxed by Qalandars in their last encounter.
Gaddafi Stadium’s pitch is touted as batting-friendly and will help the power strikers raking big numbers.
In previous games in season 8 of the Pakistan Super League, Qalandars are backed by their batters as the team managed to surpass a 200-run score in the last game without a single fifty.
On the other hand, Purple Force could not make any big show in the ongoing cricket tournament. Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmad and hitter Iftikhar Ahmad remained in form but the franchise is yet to pick up momentum. The likes of Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Odean Smith have not been quite successful of late.
PSL8, Match 16: Lahore Qalandars hand Islamabad United a crushing defeat
Squads
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Mirza Tahir Baig, Abdullah Shafique, Sam Billings (wk), Hussain Talat, Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Martin Guptill, Will Smeed, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Odean Smith, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Aimal Khan
