Sports Desk
Abu Dhabi: Islamabad United has outclassed Lahore Qalandars by 28 runs in the 20th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six.
In-form Qalandars lost eight wickets for 38 runs in 153 chase. United are now leveled with Qalandars in points but are at the top of the table due to better run-rate.
Earlier, a recovery sixth-wicket stand between Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed led Islamabad United to 152/7. Both were involved in a grand partnership of 123 runs after two-time PSL winners were struggling on 20/5.
Opting to bat first. Islamabad United started the proceedings in a disappointing way as they lost Usman Khawaja in the first over courtesy of a jaffer by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
In the next over, Australia’s James Faulkner continued his epic bowling form. He trapped young Rohail Nazir followed by wickets of Colin Munro and Hussain Talat in his second and third over.
Haris Rauf removed captain Shadab Khan straight after the conclusion of powerplay overs on the score of 20.
United needed a partnership after half of their side was back to the pavilion and the duo of Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed stepped up at the crucial moment.
Asif started accelerating from the start while Iftikhar played the role of the accumulator. Asif reached to his fifty in the 13th over, his third in PSL while Iftikhar started to open his arms by finding gaps.
The partnership was broken in the 19th over after Asif goes deep in his crease while expecting the yorker.
But just as he completes his shot as the ball hits his body instead, his right pad clips the stumps. Asif’s heroics of 75 came from 43 balls which included six fours and five sixes.
Iftikhar Ahmed’s innings folded in the last over when he tried to clear the rope. With the help of six fours, he made 49 off 37 balls.
For Qalandars, Faulkner finished with figures of 3/19 while Shaheen and Haris bagged two a piece.
Lahore Qalandars’ skipper Sohail Akhtar and Fakhar Zaman started the chase positively as they added 55 for the first wicket-stand.
Sohail smashed 34 off 19, powered by six fours and a six. He was removed by leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed as he trapped him infront.
In the very next over, Shadab’s brilliant piece of fielding got the better of Zeeshan Ashraf. Fakhar continued to accumulate from the other end.
In the 11th over, Mohammad Musa removed Mohammad Hafeez and Ben Dunk, the start of Qalandars’ massive collapse. Musa continued his brilliance and removed set-batter Fakhar, who made 44 off 37 balls.
In the 14th over, Shadab bamboozled Tim David and Rashid Khan while Fawad removed James Faulkner in the 15th over. Qalandars lost seven wickets for just 14 runs and in a space of 30 deliveries.
Haris Rauf created a glimmer of hope for United as smashed two sixes off Mohammad Wasim but was dismissed in the following over by Ali Khan. He made 17 off 11.
Shadab and Fawad bagged two a piece while pick of the bowlers was emerging pacer Musa, who claimed 3/18 in three overs.
