KARACHI-Brilliant batting display from opener Paul Stirling and outstanding bowling by Faheem Ashraf lifted Islamabad United to an impressive six-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 12th match of PSL-6 played at National Stadium Karachi on Tuesday night.
According to information made available here, chasing 157 to win, Islamabad were provided a perfect start to the run chase by the 30-year-old as he slogged Mohammad Nawaz for a six and dispatched him over for two fours in the first over and smoked Dale Steyn for four fours in the third. Stirling brought up his half-century in just fifth over off 21 balls as his exploits with the bat saw United gather runs at a staggering 13 an over. He laid the perfect foundation for the run chase with a 76-run opening stand with Alex Hales (23 off 13) as United chased down the target with three overs spare.
Hales was the first batsman to depart and Stirling followed him to the pavilion after scoring 56 off 33, in a knock embellished with eight fours and two sixes. Both openers were clean bowled by leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood – the most successful bowler for Gladiators with two for 29 in four overs. Rohail Nazir, playing his first match in the PSL-6, showed glimpse of class, as the wicketkeeper-batsman made 34 off 28, laced with four fours and a six. He knitted a 37-run partnership for the third wicket with captain Shadab Khan (21 off 17, two fours).
Faheem bowled impeccable lengths after Shadab opted to field after winning the toss. The all-rounder returned a magnificent three for 11 from his four overs to compound Gladiators’ worries. The Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side had a terrible start with their top four batsmen back in the hut inside the batting powerplay with 41 runs on the board. Right-arm fast Hasan Ali accounted for Saim Ayub (five off three) and Faf du Plessis (17 off 11, three fours), while Faheem accounted for Cameron Delport (one off three) and Azam Khan (four off nine).
Another captain’s innings from Sarfaraz, however, rescued the sinking ship and helped Gladiators to a respectable total as he stroked his fifth PSL fifty. Sarfaraz with Ben Cutting (23 off 17, two fours and one six) knitted a 30-run partnership for the fifth wicket and contributed 63 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Nawaz (31 not out off 29, one four, one six).
During the course of his innings, the wicketkeeper-batsman smashed four sixes – all in the 13th over of the innings off Iftikhar Ahmed. An over ago, he struck three fours off his counterpart’s leg-spin. He reached the half-century milestone in 31 balls. He got out to United’s star bowler of the match and eventual player of the match award winner, Faheem, after scoring 54 off 41. Hasan took two wickets for 23. Gladiators, after having played four matches in the PSL-6, are winless in the tournament.
Scorecard
QUETTA GLADIATORS:
Saim Ayub c Stirling b Hasan Ali 5
Cameron Delport b Faheem Ashraf 1
Faf du Plessis lbw b Hasan Ali 17
Sarfaraz Ahmed lbw b Faheem 54
Azam Khan c Iftikhar b Faheem 4
Ben Cutting st Rohail b Shadab 23
Mohammad Nawaz not out. 31
Zahid Mahmood run out……… 5
Dale Steyn not out………………. 0
EXTRAS: (b1, lb9, w6)………. 16
TOTAL: (7 wkts, 20 overs). 156
FOW: 1-7, 2-21, 3-27, 4-41, 5-71, 6-134, 7-152.
BOWLING: Hasan Ali 4-0-23-2, Mohammad Wasim 3-0-20-0, Faheem Ashraf 4-0-11-3, M Musa 4-0-39-0, Shadab Khan 3-0-25-1, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-0-28-0.
ISLAMABAD UNITED:
Paul Stirling b Zahid Mahmood 56
Alex Hales b Zahid Mahmood 23
Rohail Nazir c Naseem b Steyn 34
Shadab Khan c Nawaz b Hasnain 21
Asif Ali not out…………………… 16
Hussain Talat not out………….. 1
EXTRAS: (lb1, w5)………………. 6
TOTAL: (4 wkts, 17 overs). 157
FOW: 1-76, 2-93, 3-130, 4-143
BOWLING: Mohammad Nawaz 3-0-41-0, Naseem Shah 3-0-32-0, Dale Steyn 3-0-20-1, Mohammad Hasnain 4-0-34-1, Zahid Mahmood 4-0-29-2.
TOSS: Islamabad United
UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza, Shozab Raza
TV UMPIRE: Asif Yaqoob
MATCH REFEREE: Ali Naqvi
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