Defending champions Lahore Qalandars secured a narrow nine-run victory over Quetta Gladiators in a closely fought match at Gaddafi Stadium. The match was part of Pakistan Super League (PSL 11). With this win, Lahore Qalandars claimed their fourth victory of the season.
Quetta Gladiators were given a target of 198 runs. They ended their innings at 188 for 7. Despite strong batting efforts, they could not finish the chase. The Lahore Qalandars bowlers held their nerve in the final overs.
Quetta started well with a solid opening stand. Shamyl Hussain and captain Saud Shakeel added 49 runs. This partnership gave them early confidence in the chase. However, Sikandar Raza broke the stand by dismissing Saud Shakeel for 17 runs.
Shamyl Hussain continued to score freely. He formed another strong partnership with Rilee Rossouw. Shamyl reached his third PSL half-century. He scored 53 runs from 31 balls before being run out. This dismissal came after sharp fielding from the Lahore Qalandars side.
After that wicket, Lahore Qalandars took control of the game. Haris Rauf removed Hasan Nawaz for a first-ball duck. This early strike increased pressure on Quetta’s batting lineup.
Rilee Rossouw tried to fight back with an aggressive innings. He scored 62 runs from 29 balls. His knock included powerful hitting and quick scoring. However, his dismissal shifted the momentum again.
Quetta Gladiators struggled after losing key wickets. They slipped to 149 for 5 in the middle overs. From that point, the Lahore Qalandars bowlers dominated the game.
Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf led the bowling attack effectively. Rauf delivered a brilliant final over under pressure. He conceded only nine runs, sealing the win for his team. The Lahore Qalandars showed strong control in the closing stage.
Earlier in the match, Lahore Qalandars posted a total of 197 for 6. Fakhar Zaman played a match-winning innings of 103 runs from 51 balls. His century included powerful shots and consistent boundary hitting.
Charith Asalanka supported him with a useful 31 runs. Their partnership helped stabilize the innings after an early wicket. Later contributions added valuable runs to the total.
Quetta bowlers took wickets at intervals but failed to stop the scoring rate. The strong batting depth of Lahore Qalandars proved decisive in the match.
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In the end, disciplined bowling and a solid batting performance helped Lahore Qalandars secure an important win in PSL 11.
