The Pakistan Super League season eight is in full swing, and in the 18th match, Lahore Qalandars emerged victorious against Quetta Gladiators by 17 runs at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Lahore Qalandars set a target of 149 runs, which Quetta Gladiators couldn’t chase down, ending at 131-7 in 20 overs.
The opening pair of Yasir Khan and Will Smeed gave Quetta Gladiators a promising start, adding 53 runs for the first wicket. However, Yasir Khan was dismissed by Haris Rauf after scoring 14 runs in 15 balls. Rashid Khan got rid of Smeed, who scored 32 runs in 25 balls, and later also took the important wicket of Iftikhar Ahmed, finishing with impressive figures of 2-14 in four overs.
Martin Guptill was dismissed by David Wiese, adding pressure to Quetta Gladiators. With the required run-rate climbing, Quetta Gladiators failed to score the boundaries they needed and kept losing wickets. Sarfaraz Ahmed remained unbeaten on 27 runs but took 28 balls to get there.
Earlier, Lahore Qalandars were dismissed for 148 runs in 19.2 overs, with Sikandar Raza scoring an unbeaten 71 runs in 34 balls, smashing eight fours and three sixes. Lahore Qalandars were in trouble after slipping to 50-7 against Quetta Gladiators, but Rashid Khan and Sikandar Raza brought their side back into the contest with a crucial fifty partnership.
The Quetta Gladiators bowlers gave their side a perfect start, reducing Lahore Qalandars to 29-4 in the first powerplay. Umaid Asif sent the in-form Fakhar Zaman back to the pavilion, while Sam Billings and Hussain Talat were dismissed by pacer Naveen-ul-Haq after scoring two and six runs, respectively. After the early loss of wickets, Lahore Qalandars were hoping that Abdullah Shafique would rescue the side, but the right-hander was cleaned up by Nawaz after scoring 15 runs in 14 balls.
Lahore captain Shaheen Afridi promoted himself in the batting order but was run out after scoring run-a-ball 16. Nawaz picked up his second wicket after completing a simple caught and bowled to send David Wiese packing. Fast-bowler Mohammad Hasnain was rested against Lahore due to pain in his ankle, while Naveen-ul-Haq, Umaid Asif, and emerging batter Yasir Khan made their debuts.
In conclusion, Lahore Qalandars’ victory over Quetta Gladiators was due to their impressive batting and bowling performances. Lahore’s Sikandar Raza and Rashid Khan were the standout performers, while Quetta’s Yasir Khan and Will Smeed’s good start could not lead them to a win. The match was an exciting contest, and the fans will be looking forward to the next match in the tournament.
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