Lahore Qalandars End Islamabad United’s Winning Streak with Convincing 88-Run Victory
Lahore Qalandars claimed an emphatic 88-run victory over Islamabad United in the 19th match of the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Wednesday. The win ended Islamabad’s winning streak and highlighted exceptional performances from Sikandar Raza Butt and Haris Rauf.
Lahore Qalandars’ Innings:
Put in to bat first, the Qalandars got off to a solid start in the powerplay, with openers Fakhar Zaman (44) and Mohammad Naeem (25) sharing a 50-run opening partnership. Daryl Mitchell (28) and Abdullah Shafique (22) also contributed before the late surge from Sikandar Raza and Sam Billings propelled the total.
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Raza played a blistering knock of 39 off 17 balls, which included three boundaries and three sixes. Billings remained unbeaten on 38 from 17 balls, hitting one boundary and four sixes. The late flurry powered the Qalandars to a massive 209/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
For Islamabad United, Imad Wasim (2-26), Jason Holder (2-54), and Ben Dwarshuis (1-51) were the wicket-takers.
Islamabad United’s Innings:
Chasing a daunting target of 210, United got off to a rough start when Sahibzada Farhan (9) fell early. Andries Gous (41 off 27) and Salman Ali Agha (36 off 25) showed resistance, but their efforts were insufficient.
None of the other Islamabad batters managed to build partnerships. The middle and lower order crumbled under pressure, with Azam Khan (1), Haider Ali (5), Shadab Khan (13), Jason Holder (0), Imad Wasim (2), Ben Dwarshuis (1), and Naseem Shah (11) failing to make a mark.
For the Qalandars, Haris Rauf was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets for 31 runs, while Sikandar Raza bagged 3 wickets for 20 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-10), Asif Afridi (1-24), and Tom Curran (1-24) also contributed with a wicket each.
Match Summary:
- Lahore Qalandars: 209/6 (Sikandar Raza 39, Sam Billings 38*)
- Islamabad United: 121 all out (Andries Gous 41, Salman Ali Agha 36)
- Result: Lahore Qalandars won by 88 runs
Playing XIs:
- Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Tom Curran, Shaheen Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Asif Afridi
- Islamabad United: Andries Gous, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Imad Wasim, Haider Ali, Jason Holder, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Ben Dwarshuis, Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah
The win propels Lahore Qalandars in the tournament, while Islamabad United will be looking to bounce back after this heavy defeat.
