Tag: PSL

LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars put on a dominant all-round performance to thrash Islamabad United by a massive 110-run margin to go on top of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) eight standings.

Set to chase a massive total, the United bundled out for a meagre 90 runs in the 14th over to hand defending champions a dominating 110-run victory that propelled them to the top in the PSL 8 points table.

Earlier in pursuit, United were off to a decent start as their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Colin Munro raised 41 runs for the first wicket before David Wiese dismissed the latter to hand a much-needed breakthrough to the Qalandars.

Munro could score 18 off 14 deliveries with the help of one boundary and a six.

The United then succumbed to another major setback at the brink of the power play when Gurbaz fell victim to Zaman Khan in the sixth over after a brief knock of a 17-ball 23 and top-scored for his side amid their dismal show with the bat.

Gurbaz’s dismissal triggered a match-defining collapse in United’s batting lineup and the visitors, consequently, were bundled out for a paltry 90 runs in the 14th over with Tom Curran offering brief resistance with his gritty 10-run knock.

Wiese led the Qalandars’ ferocious bowling attack with 3/17 while Sikandar Raza and Rashid Khan bagged two wickets each. Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan made one scalp each.

Opting to bat first, the Qalandars’ batters carried on their form as they post their second successive 200-plus total in the ongoing extravaganza.

The home side finished at a massive 200/7 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to significant contributions by the majority of their batting lineup.

Earlier, openers Fakhar Zaman and Tahir Baig scripted a solid start for their side as the duo raised a 58-run partnership before United skipper Shadab Khan dismissed the latter in his first over to get a much-needed breakthrough for his side.

Tahir could score 20 off 17 deliveries, laced up with two boundaries and a six.

Fakhar soon followed his opening partner in the next over as Tom Curran castled the in-form batter to bring United back in the hunt as Qalandars slipped to 62/2 in 7.2 overs. He scored 36 off 23 balls, hitting five boundaries and a six.

Following his dismissal, Abdullah Shafique put on a crucial partnership with Sam Billings and made sure that their side stay on track of amassing a big total as the pair added 71 runs in just 38 deliveries amid their stand before the former fell victim to Tom Curran.

The right-handed batter top-scored for the Qalandars with his sensational 24-ball 45, which featured four boundaries and two sixes.

The hosts then lost three quick wickets in the middle overs as Hussain Talat (6), Sam Billings (33) and David Wiese (12) fell in the space of just 11 deliveries.

The Qalandars, however, soon recovered from the brief collapse as Sikandar Raza and Rashid Khan launched a counterattack on the United bowlers with their brisk 40-run partnership which ended with the latter’s dismissal on the second-last delivery of the innings.

Rashid played a crucial cameo of 18 runs in just 12 balls with the help of two boundaries and a six, while Sikandar struck an unbeaten 10-ball 23, smashing as many boundaries.

Curran led the bowling attack for the United with 3/34, while Shadab followed with 2/34. Hasan Ali and Abrar Ahmed struck out a batter each.

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LAHORE: Home side Lahore Qalandars have won the toss and elected to bat first against Islamabad United in the 16th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

PLAYING XIs

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

Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Rehmanullah Gurbaz, RVD Dussen, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Tom Curran, Hassan Ali, Zeeshan Zameer, Abrar Ahmed

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 14, Islamabad United 9, Lahore Qalandars 5

LAHORE: Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique struck blistering half-centuries to power Lahore Qalandars to post the third-highest Pakistan Super League (PSL) total before Shaheen Shah Afridi’s five-wicket haul propelled the defending champions to a 40-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi.

Set to chase a mammoth 242, Zalmi fell 40 runs short of pulling the astounding victory despite blistering half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

Qalandars’ skipper dented Zalmi’s march in pursuit of the biggest total of the ongoing season as he castled Zalmi’s key batters Mohammad Haris (0) and Babar Azam (7) in his successive first two overs.

Following the slump, young batting sensation Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore kept the game alive with their magnificent third-wicket partnership as they added 91 runs off just 44 deliveries.

Kohler-Cadmore was on song amid his brilliant knock as he struck boundaries at will on his way to a brisk 55 off 23 deliveries before Haris Rauf struck in the 11th over to provide a much-needed breakthrough to the Qalandars.

The right-handed batter remained the top-scorer for Zalmi.

Saim looked to carry on his domination over the Qalandars’ bowlers after Kohler-Cadmore’s dismissal as he soon brought up his second PSL 8 half-century but fell victim to Rashid Khan soon after amassing the milestone.

He scored 51 off 34 balls, laced up with seven boundaries and two sixes.

Following his dismissal, Zalmi began to lose wickets at regular intervals which consequently resulted in the visitors being restricted to 201/9 after brief cameos from Bhanuka Rajapaksa (24) and Rovman Powell (20).

Shaheen led the bowling attack for his side with 5/40 while Zaman Khan followed with 2/28. Haris and Rashid, on the other hand, picked one wicket apiece.

Opting to bat first, the Qalandars piled a mammoth 241/3 in their quota of 20 overs at the back of scintillating knocks by Fakhar and Abdullah.

Earlier, the home side had a scratchy start as Wahab Riaz castled young opener Tahir Baig (5) to draw the first breakthrough for the Zalmi.

Following an early setback, Fakhar and Abdullah settled things down as they took the Qalandars to 36/1 in the powerplay before launching a ruthless counterattack on the Zalmi bowlers.

The duo turned things around for the home side with belligerent hitting with Abdullah leading the charge of the stand. The right-handed batter smashed five boundaries and as many sixes amid his magnificent knock before Wahab struck again in the 13th over for Zalmi.

Abdullah scored a quickfire 75 off 41 deliveries and left the Qalandars in complete command as the side were 127/2 in 13 overs.

Following Abdullah’s dismissal, Fakhar switched gears and took Zalmi bowlers to the cleaners with belligerent hitting but fell short of his well-deserved century by just four runs as he fell to Rovman Powell in the 17th over.

Fakhar top-scored for the Qalandars with 96 off just 45 balls, hitting three boundaries and 10 sixes.

Wahab led the bowling attack for the Zalmi with two wickets but was expensive as he leaked 45 runs in his four overs, while Powell could make one scalp.

LAHORE: The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management committee Najam Sethi on Sunday provided a much-anticipated update regarding the future of the Lahore and Rawalpindi leg of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) eight.

Taking to Twitter, Sethi revealed that the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has agreed to share the cost of lighting routes during PSL 8 matches here.

“Good news: CM Punjab Mohsin Naqvi Saheb has been kind enough to agree to share cost of lighting routes during PSL matches in Lahore,” wrote Sethi.

“HBL PSL8 matches in Lahore and Pindi shall continue as scheduled,” he added.

Good news: CM Punjab Mohsin Naqvi Saheb has been kind enough to agree to share cost of lighting routes during PSL matches in Lahore. HBl PSL8 matches in Lahore and Pindi shall continue as scheduled.

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) February 26, 2023

 

A deadlock emerged between the PCB and the caretaker Punjab government over the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight’s Lahore and Rawalpindi leg security expenditures.

The Punjab government demanded PCB pay off PKR 500m to make security arrangements for the second leg of the ongoing extravaganza. At the same time, the cricket board was adamant about not paying the stipulated sum.

Following the deadlock, the PCB and all six franchises held several meetings to discuss different way forwards which included shifting the entire second leg to Karachi.

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LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars have won the toss and elected to bat first against Peshawar Zalmi in the 15th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight on the double-header Sunday.

PLAYING XIs

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

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris (wk), Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Jimmy Neesham, Wahab Riaz, Saad Masood, Arshad Iqbal, Salman Irshad

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 15, Peshawar Zalmi 9, Lahore Qalandars 6

KARACHI: The former champions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Karachi Kings held a training session ahead of their second clash with table-toppers Multan Sultans in the ongoing eighth edition.

According to the details, all-squad members partook in the Kings’ training session, under the supervision of head coach Johan Botha.

Meanwhile, batting coach Ravi Bopara and assistant coach Michael Smith were also present in the Kings’ training session.

The details further suggest that the players engaged in rigorous drills and practised in the nets.

Back at the training ✊#YehHaiKarachi | #KingsSquad | #HBLPSL8 pic.twitter.com/tj2icc6Dtm

— Karachi Kings (@KarachiKingsARY) February 25, 2023

 

Kings’ ace pacer Mohammad Amir also joined the team’s training session after missing his side’s previous clash with the Sultans due to an injury.

On the other hand, table-toppers Sultans also held a practice session here at National Bank Cricket Arena as the two sides will lock horns tomorrow.

It is pertinent to mention that Sultans lead the PSL 8 standings with eight points in five matches, while the Kings are in fifth place with two points in as many matches.

READ: Azam Khan credits his father Moin Khan for dealing with criticism 

KARACHI: Islamabad United’s Azam Khan coined his father Moin Khan an inspiration for backing him despite all the odds following his match-winning knock against Quetta Gladiators in the 13th fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

Azam stole the limelight with his astounding 97-run knock that fired the United to post a mammoth 220/6 against his former PSL franchise Gladiators.

The right-handed batter baton charged the Gladiators’ bowlers as he smashed them all over the park amid his magnificent knock that featured eight boundaries and nine gigantic sixes.

The young wicketkeeper batter has often been at the receiving end of criticism for his poor fitness despite his power-hitting abilities.

Meanwhile, following his match-winning knock, Azam praised his father Moin, the head coach of the Gladiators for backing him despite all the odds and making him mentally strong to face the criticism.

“When I met him [Moin] after the match, he praised my innings and asked me to continue performing,” Azam.

“My father is my biggest inspiration. He made me mentally so strong and always backed me to perform well despite all the odds. He already told me about the criticism and helped me fight against it. I hope I will keep on making him proud,” he added.

Azam then went on to highlight the importance of power-hitting and strike rate in T20s, stating that it is essential for a batter who plays down the order.

“Strike rate matters a lot in T20 cricket. It is my style of play and I really enjoy it,” said Azam.

“At the position where I bat, you get very limited time to set. In such a case, you have to be ready for hitting the ball hard,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention that Azam’s United closed in with table-toppers Multan Sultans following their back-to-back triumph in the ongoing extravaganza.

The two-time champions tightened their grip on the second spot with six points in four matches behind the Sultans, who lead the standings with eight points in five matches.

READ: ‘Disappointed’ Gul optimistic for Gladiators comeback

KARACHI: Quetta Gladiators’ bowling coach Umar Gul has expressed hope for his team’s comeback in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

The Gladiators, who succumbed to their fourth defeat of the ongoing season following a crushing 63-run defeat against Islamabad United on Friday have sunk to the bottom of the points table with only two points in five matches.

The 2019 champions now need to win all their remaining five matches to make a case for themselves to make it to the playoffs.

Meanwhile, amid his side’s dismal campaign in the ongoing PSL 8, bowling coach Gul is still optimistic about his side’s comeback.

“We are too disappointed with this performance,” said Gul in the post-match press conference at National Bank Cricket Arena.

“I think we are still very much in the tournament. We still have a complete chance to make a comeback from here,” he added.

“We have told players that still five matches are left. If we play according to our strength, we will be in the tournament,” he maintained.

Gul then also praised wicketkeeper batter Azam Khan’s astounding 97-run knock against the Gladiators which lifted the United to post a mammoth 220/6 which eventually was too much for the Gladiators.

“Azam played really well and took the match away from us. We made mistakes in all departments. I know we could have done better,” said Gul.

It is pertinent to mention that the Gladiators next face defending champions Lahore Qalandars on March 2 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

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KARACHI: Azam Khan wreaked havoc with a quickfire 97-run knock before bowlers led Islamabad United to a dominating 63-run victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

Set to chase a mammoth 221, the Gladiators could only score 157 before being bundled out in the final over after a brief retaliation by Mohammad Hafeez.

The Gladiators had a poor start to their pursuit as the side lost three wickets for a mere 26 runs in the fourth over with all their top-three batters falling cheaply.

Following the slump, Hafeez alongside skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed looked to anchor the run chase with a crucial 69-run partnership for the third wicket and kept the Gladiators in the hunt.

Left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi rocked Gladiators’ march in the 11th over when he dismissed Hafeez off a full-toss. Hafeez scored a quick 48 off 26 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and two sixes.

Following Hafeez’s dismissal, Sarfaraz stitched a cautious 32-run partnership with Iftikhar Ahmed before the former finally perished in the 16th over. He scored 41 off 36.

Sarfaraz’s dismissal triggered a match-defining collapse in the Gladiators’ batting lineup, which eventually bundled out in the final over with their notable run-getter Iftikhar also walking back to the pavilion in the 19th.

Iftikhar could score 39 off 27 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and two sixes.

Farooqi and Hasan Ali picked up three wickets each for the United while Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan made twin strikes apiece.

Opting to bat first, the United posted a massive 220/6 at the back of an astounding 97-run knock by Azam despite a dismal start.

Earlier, the United got off to an unlikely start as the side was four down for 71 runs inside 10 overs before Azam turned things around with his belligerent hitting.

With the side at 77/4 in the first 10 overs, Azam stitched a match-defining partnership with Asif Ali and launched a counterattack on the Gladiators’ bowlers.

The pair added brisk 98 runs in just 45 deliveries with Azam being the core aggressor of the game-changing spell.

Naseem then finally managed to break the partnership in the 18th over when he dismissed Asif, who scored 42 off just 24 deliveries with the help of a boundary and four sixes.

Asif’s dismissal did not bother Azam’s approach as he kept on charging on the Gladiators’ bowlers amid his brief yet effective partnership with Faheem Ashraf, who remained unbeaten on 17 off just six.

After all the thrashing, Odean Smith finally cleaned up Azam on the final delivery of the innings and barred him from scoring his century.

Azam top-scored for the United with 97 off a mere 42 deliveries and smashed nine boundaries and eight sixes.

Mohammad Hasnain and Odean Smith bagged two wickets each for the Gladiators while Naseem and Aimal Khan struck out a batter each.

KARACHI: Islamabad United have won the toss and elected to bat first against Quetta Gladiators in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

PLAYING XIs

Quetta Gladiators: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Jason Roy, Will Smeed, Martin Guptill, Iftikhar Ahmed, Odean Smith, Muhammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Aimal Khan, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain

Islamabad United: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Colin Munro, Rassie van der Dussen, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan, Asif Ali, Mubasir Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Fazalhaq Farooqi

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 15, Quetta Gladiators 8, Islamabad United 7