Aaron Hardie backed his four-wicket haul with a blistering half-century to lead Peshawar Zalmi to a five-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in an enthralling Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
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Former champions Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and decided to bowl first against debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
For the first time in the history of the PSL, a separate reward has been set for the franchises, with the winning franchise getting $500,000, runners up will get $300,000, while the franchise with the best player development efforts will bag $200,000. The tournament-winning prize for players will comprise $500,000.
Hyderabad Kingsmen will be looking to conclude their fairytale season with the PSL title, while Peshawar Zalmi are eyeing their second title after 2017. Zalmi were the runners-up for the 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons.
On the back of Babar’s record 588-run tally, Kusal Mendis’ 541 runs and Sufyan Moqim’s 21 wickets, Peshawar Zalmi won eight of their 10 matches in the league stage including a seven-match winning streak.
They outclassed Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier to secure the ticket for the final.
Express fast bowler Nahid Rana has also rejoined the Peshawar Zalmi squad and will be available for selection. He picked up seven wickets in four league matches for Zalmi.
Hyderabad Kingsmen began their campaign with three outright losses by 69 runs against Qalandars, by 40 runs versus Gladiators and by six wickets against Sultans.
Their fourth consecutive loss came against Peshawar Zalmi as the two teams played out a last-ball thriller. Zalmi chased the 146-run target with four wickets in hand.
Kingsmen then won four matches on the trot before falling flat against Islamabad United. They thumped Rawalpindiz by 108 runs in their last league game to oust defending champions Lahore Qalandars on net run rate.
Kingsmen knocked out Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 and came from behind to stun Islamabad United by two runs in the Eliminator 2.
At the pre-final captains’ press conference, Babar said: “We have played really good cricket in the tournament. Our focus has been on assessing the conditions first and then executing the plans.”
“The performance of our team this season has been a combined effort of the local and overseas players. We hope to win the trophy by giving our best.”
Labuschagne, the skipper of the Kingsmen said that leading his side has been really exciting and he’s enjoyed every moment.
“There have been certainly ups and downs but I think that’s what makes it so good. [it’s] just another game and we will make sure that we stick to our processes.”
Playing XIs
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis (wk), Farhan Yousuf, Michael Bracewell, Aaron Hardie, Iftikhar Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Nahid Rana, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit.
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Irfan Niazi, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali and Akif Javed.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed prize allocations for the franchises set to face off in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.
According to the cricket board, the winning side will receive $500,000, while the runners-up will take home $300,000.
Furthermore, the PCB has also allocated $200,000 for a franchise with the best player development efforts, while the tournament-winning prize for players will comprise $500,000.
“For the first time in the history of the PSL, a separate reward has been set for the franchises with the winning franchise getting $500,000, runners up will get $300,000, while the franchise with the best player development efforts will bag $200,000. The tournament winning prize for players will comprise of $500,000,” the cricket board said in a statement.
The confirmation came in line with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s announcement in November last year, in which he revealed a new reward system for franchises, while complementing the marquee league’s growth.
It is pertinent to mention that the highly anticipated PSL 11 final will be contested between 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi, and tournament debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Zalmi stormed into the final after winning their Qualifier against Islamabad United by 70 runs, while Kingsmen, who finished fourth after the league stage, defeated Multan Sultans and the United, respectively, in the two eliminators, to book their spot in the summit clash.
The two sides also came face-to-face in the league stage of the ongoing eight-team tournament, which saw Zalmi prevail by four wickets in a last-ball thriller.
Earlier
Hyderabad Kingsmen advanced to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final after defeating Islamabad United by two runs in the thrilling second eliminator at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
The victory propelled the debutants into the final, where they will lock horns with table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, while it drew curtains on the United’s campaign at the eight-team tournament.
The United got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost Sameer Minhas (six) and Mohsin Riaz (five) inside three overs with just 15 runs on the board.
Skipper Shadab Khan then joined Devon Conway in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 42 runs for the second wicket until Saim Ayub dismissed the left-handed opener in the eighth over, who made a 25-ball 30 with the help of three fours and a six.
Shadab was then involved in a brief 11-run partnership for the fourth wicket until eventually falling victim to Hassan Khan on the first delivery of the 11th over and walked back after a cautious 22 off 24 deliveries.
Following his dismissal, Chapman took the reins of United’s pursuit and raised a crucial 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Haider Ali, who contributed with a 16-ball 31 until falling victim to Mohammad Ali in the 16th over.
Chapman, on the other hand, followed suit 10 deliveries later, falling victim to Hunain Shah in the 18th over. He remained the top-scorer for the United with a quickfire 43 off 26 deliveries, studded with five fours and two sixes.
But his dismissal did not bother the three-time champions as the all-rounder duo of Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green put them into the commanding position by smashing Ali for 22 runs in the penultimate over, and brought the required equation down to six runs off the last over.
Bowling the final over, with just six runs to defend, Hunain delivered impeccable death bowling as he gave just three runs to secure a thrilling two-run victory for the Kingsmen.
For the Kingsmen, Ali and Hunain bagged two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan and Saim Ayub chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Hunain claimed the Player of the Match award for a brilliant six-run defence in the tense final over.
Put into bat first, the Kingsmen piled up 186/5 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a sensational fifth-wicket partnership between Usman and Kusal Perera.
The Kingsmen got off to a dismal start to their innings as Richard Gleeson dismissed left-handed opener Maaz Sadaqat for a four-ball duck in the first over, with just one run on the board.
Following the early stutter, Saim Ayub joined captain Marnus Labuschagne in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 70 runs for the second wicket.
Chris Green eventually broke the budding partnership in the 10th over by getting rid of Saim, who walked back after scoring 38 off 27 deliveries with the help of seven fours.
Labuschagne was then involved in a brief 13-run partnership for the third wicket with Glenn Maxwell (three) until both Australians fell victim to Imad Wasim in the pulsating 12th over, resulting in Kingsmen slipping to 85/4.
The Kingsmen captain remained a notable run-getter for the tournament debutants, scoring 40 off 32 deliveries, featuring four fours and a six.
Following the back-to-back blows, in-form wicketkeeper batter Usman and Perera forced an astounding turnaround as they bolstered the Kingsmen’s total past the 180-run mark with a 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Usman, who dominated the crucial stand, remained their top-scorer with an unbeaten 61 off 30 deliveries, studded with 10 boundaries, while Perera chipped in with a 21-ball 37, comprising four fours and two sixes.
Imad was the standout bowler for the United, taking two wickets for just 16 runs in his two overs, while Faheem Ashraf, Gleeson and Green made one scalp apiece.
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Former champions Islamabad United won the toss and decided to bowl first against tournament debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen in Eliminator 2 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Playing XIs
Islamabad United: Devon Conway (wk), Sameer Minhas, Mohsin Riaz, Shadab Khan (c), Mark Chapman, Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain and Richard Gleeson.
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Irfan Niazi, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali and Akif Javed.
Head-to-head
United and Kingsmen have come face-to-face twice in the marquee league, and their head-to-head record hangs in the balance with one victory apiece.
Their most recent meeting took place last week, which saw United prevail by eight wickets and 80 balls to spare after bowling out the debutants for a meagre 80.
Matches: 2
Islamabad United: 1
Hyderabad Kingsmen: 1
Form Guide
The two sides enter the high-stakes fixture with contrasting momenta as the Kingsmen have just one defeat in their last five completed matches, which coincidentally came against the United, who have three victories in as many games.
Kingsmen, on the other hand, are on a two-match winning streak as they are fresh from a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over 2021 champions Multan Sultans in the Eliminator 1, following a sensational 108-run triumph over fellow debutants RawalPindiz, which earned them a miraculous entry into the playoffs by pipping defending champions Lahore Qalandars in terms of net run rate.
United, however, are coming off a gruelling 70-run thrashing at the hands of table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier.
Hyderabad Kingsmen: W, W, L, W, W (most recent first)
Islamabad United: L, W, W, L, W
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Half-centuries from Usman Khan and Maaz Sadaqat, combined with disciplined bowling, powered Hyderabad Kingsmen to an eight-wicket victory over Multan Sultans in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11’s Eliminator 1 on Wednesday.
Kingsmen’s victory in the high-stakes fixture drew curtains on Sultans’ campaign and meant that the new entrants will go on and face three-time champions Islamabad United in the Eliminator 2 at the same venue on Friday in a bid to qualify for the eight-team tournament’s final.
Set to chase a 160-run target, the Kingsmen comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 28 balls to spare, courtesy of the second-wicket partnership between Usman and Sadaqat.
The Kingsmen, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost their captain, Marnus Labuschagne (11), in the second over with 18 runs on the board.
Following the early setback, in-form wicketkeeper batter Usman joined Sadaqat in the middle, and the duo batted dominantly to put together 92 runs for the second wicket.
Usman, who was the core aggressor of the vital stand, was eventually removed by Steve Smith in the 11th over. He walked back after top-scoring for the Kingsmen with a swashbuckling 64 off 35 deliveries, studded with eight fours and three sixes.
Sadaqat was then joined by Saim Ayub in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to steer the Kingsmen over the line in the 16th over.
The left-handed opener remained the joint top-scorer for the Kingsmen with an unbeaten 64 off 35 deliveries, comprising eight fours and three sixes, while Saim chipped in with a run-a-ball 15 not out.
For Sultans, Ismail and Smith could pick up a wicket apiece.
Put into bat first in the high-stakes fixture, the Sultans finished at 159/9 in their 20 overs, courtesy of Masood.
The Sultans got off to a shaky start to their innings as Mohammad Ali dismissed their experienced opener Steve Smith (13) in the third over with just 28 runs on the board.
Kingsmen then lost two more wickets in successive overs as Akif Javed got in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan (15) caught at cover point, while Hunain Shah trapped Josh Philippe (six) lbw, and consequently slipped to 36/3 inside the batting powerplay.
Following the early stutter, captain Ashton Turner (nine) and his deputy Shan Masood attempted to force a recovery by batting cautiously but could add 15 runs for the fourth wicket as the former was sent back by Saim Ayub in the seventh over.
Glenn Maxwell inflicted another blow to the Sultans’ batting expedition as he got rid of their young all-rounder Arafat Minhas on the first delivery of the eighth over and brought the total further down to 52/5.
Meanwhile, Masood, who stood his ground firmly during the collapse, then shared a crucial 33-run partnership for the sixth wicket with all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, who contributed with an 18-ball 19 before falling victim to Javed in the 12th over.
Sultans endured another setback an over later as Ali cleaned up Mohammad Imran Randhawa (two) to expose their batting tail.
Hunain ensured retaining the momentum in Kingsmen’s favour as he bowled Peter Siddle in the 16th over.
Masood, however, kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly and eventually brought his 10th PSL half-century in the 18th over.
The left-handed batter batted until the end and top-scored with an unbeaten 69 off 46 deliveries, studded with four sixes and as many fours.
For Kingsmen, the pace trio of Hunain, Ali and Javed bagged two wickets each, while spinners Maxwell and Saim chipped in with one scalp apiece.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen won the toss and elected to bowl against Multan Sultans in the first eliminator of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Playing XI
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Marnus Labuschagne(c), Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan(w), Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Hassan Khan, Irfan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali, and Akif Javed.
Multan Sultans: Ashton Turner(c), Sahibzada Farhan, Steven Smith, Josh Philippe(w), Shan Masood, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Mohammad Nawaz, Peter Siddle, Faisal Akram, and Muhammad Ismail.
Head-to-head
The Kingsmen and Sultans came face-to-face just twice as the former are making their PSL appearance, while their head-to-head record hangs in the balance with one victory apiece.
Matches: 2
Multan Sultans: 1
Hyderabad Kingsmen: 1
Form Guide
Kingsmen and Sultans enter the fixture with contrasting momentum in their favour. The debutants have just one defeat in their last five completed matches, while the Sultans have just two triumphs.
Furthermore, the 2021 champions are fresh from a four-wicket defeat against Islamabad United, which barred them from securing a top-two finish.
Kingsmen, on the other hand, earned a miraculous entry into the playoffs as they thumped fellow debutants RawalPindiz by 108 runs to pip defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the standings by boosting their net run rate.
Multan Sultans: L, L, W, W, L (most recent first)
Hyderabad Kingsmen: W, L, W, W, W
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Peshawar Zalmi booked their place in the Pakistan Super League (11) final with a convincing 70-run win against Islamabad United at National Bank Stadium, Karachi, on Tuesday.
Skipper Babar Azam’s blistering century, followed by a dominant bowling performance, powered table-toppers Zalmi to a resounding win over three-time champions United.
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The victory propelled the Babar-led side into the final of the ongoing eight-team tournament, while United will take on the winning side of the Eliminator 1 between Multan Sultans and Hyderabad Kingsmen in Lahore on May 1 to strive for a berth in the summit clash.
Set to chase a daunting 222-run target, the United could muster 151 before getting bowled out in 18.4 overs.
The 2024 champions, however, got off to a flying start to the pursuit as their opening pair of Devon Conway (20) and Sameer Minhas shared a 58-run partnership, which culminated with the former’s dismissal on the final delivery of the fifth over.
Minhas was then involved in a brief 23-run partnership for the second wicket with Mohsin Riaz until being dismissed by Aaron Hardie in the ninth over.
The right-handed opener remained the top-scorer for the United with a valiant 44 off 23 deliveries, laced with seven fours and a six.
Top-order batter Mohsin was then joined by captain Shadab Khan (six) in the middle, but the duo could knit an 18-run partnership for the third wicket as Hardie struck again in his next over, trapping the latter lbw to deny United recovery.
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Peshawar Zalmi set a massive 222-run target for Islamabad United, powered by Babar Azam’s 57-ball ton, in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Qualifier at National Bank Stadium, Karachi, on Tuesday.
United captain Shadab Khan’s decision to bat first backfired as the table-toppers piled up 221/7 in their 20 overs, courtesy of Babar’s anchoring knock.
The 2017 champions got off to a flamboyant start to their innings as their opening pair of Babar and Mohammad Haris yielded 72 runs until the latter was dismissed by Shadab on the second delivery of the seventh over.
Haris made a quickfire 35 off just 16 deliveries with the help of five fours and two sixes.
Babar was then joined by in-form Kusal Mendis in the middle, and the duo ensured retaining the momentum in Zalmi’s favour by putting together 84 runs for the second wicket.
All-rounder Faheem Ashraf eventually broke the crucial partnership in the 15th over by dismissing Mendis, who made a 26-ball 41, comprising five fours and a six.
Following his dismissal, Zalmi lost two more wickets in the next over, bowled by Shadab, as Michael Bracewell (two) and Abdul Samad (zero) perished early, resulting in the former champions slipping to 164/4.
But Babar remained firm and kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly to eventually bring up his fourth PSL century in the 18th over of the innings.
Babar Azam eventually fell victim to Salman Mirza in the penultimate over and walked back after top-scoring with 103 off 59 deliveries, studded with 12 fours and four sixes.
All-rounder Aaron Hardie then added valuable runs to Zalmi’s total at the backend with a blazing 20-run cameo, coming off just 10 deliveries until being outfoxed by a slower delivery from Richard Gleeson in the final over.
Gleeson struck again in the final over, removing youngster Farhan Yousaf (zero) on the penultimate delivery to pull things back for the United.
Skipper Shadab was the standout bowler for the United, taking three wickets for 42 runs in his four overs, followed by
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled ticketing information for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Qualifier between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United, set to take place at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Tuesday.
According to the cricket board, E-Tickets for the high-stakes fixture can be purchased from tonight, with prices for all enclosures of the aforementioned venue set at Rs500.
Furthermore, the physical tickets will be available for sale from Tuesday morning and can be bought at the TCS Express Centre at the China Ground situated opposite the venue.
The PCB further advised fans with tickets to reach the stadium “well before the start of play” to avoid any inconvenience. Notably, the coin toss for the Qualifier will take place at 6:30pm as per the Pakistan Standard Time (PST), with the first ball to be bowled at 7pm.
Meanwhile, the ticket details for the remaining two playoffs, set to be played in Lahore, will be announced in due course.
The cricket board announced the ticketing details hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif granted approval for public attendance in all three playoffs of the ongoing PSL 11.
Taking to X, PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi said he had a meeting with the premier, during which the cricket board secured his approval for allowing fans in the stadia for the upcoming playoffs of the eight-team tournament.
“Just had a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and I’m pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well,” Naqvi wrote on the microblogging website.
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Tickets for the PSL 11 final will go on sale online from Monday, April 27, at 4pm, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.
The final is scheduled to be played on May 3 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
“The tickets for the HBL Pakistan Super League 11 final scheduled for 3 May are set to go on sale at 4pm from Monday, 27 April at pcb.tcs.com.pk,” the PCB said.
According to the PCB, physical tickets will be available at 18 designated TCS Express Centres in Lahore from Tuesday, April 28, at 10am.
The board also urged spectators to arrive early to witness pre-match festivities. “Fans should aim to reach the stadium by 18:30 PKT to witness the curtain closing ceremony before the final match of the tournament,” the PCB said.
Ticket prices have been set across multiple categories. VIP enclosures, including Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan, will be available for Rs6,000, while premium enclosures, Rajas and Saeed Anwar, will cost Rs4,000.
First-class enclosures, comprising Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Abdul Qadir, Javed Miandad and Sarfaraz Nawaz, have been priced at Rs2,000.
Seats in general enclosures, Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Saeed Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq, will start from Rs1,500.
For higher-end seating, tickets for the VVIP enclosure at the Iqbal End, named after Waqar Younis, will be available for Rs8,000. The Zaheer Abbas enclosure at the Jinnah End has been priced at Rs10,000, while PCB Gallery tickets will cost Rs12,000.
The PCB said ticket sales had been structured to provide a range of options for fans, with strong demand expected ahead of the tournament’s final.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen stormed into the playoffs of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 with a commanding 108-run victory over Rawalpindiz at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Sunday, a result that also knocked Lahore Qalandars out of the tournament.
According to 24NewsHD TV, Kingsmen delivered a clinical all-round performance to outclass their opponents and secure qualification for the knockout stage.
In reply, Rawalpindiz struggled to keep pace with the required run rate despite a fighting 66 from Usman Khawaja. Mohammad Rizwan added 26, while Sam Billings chipped in with 23, but the rest of the batting line-up failed to deliver.
Kingsmen’s bowling attack proved decisive, with Akif Javed claiming three wickets and Hunain Shah leading the charge with four dismissals.
Glenn Maxwell and Mohammad Ali picked up one wicket each to wrap up the emphatic win.
The result confirmed Hyderabad Kingsmen’s place in the playoffs, while Lahore Qalandars were eliminated after falling short in the qualification race.
After winning the toss, Rawalpindiz opted to field first, a decision that proved costly as Kingsmen posted an imposing 244 for six in their allotted 20 overs.
Glenn Maxwell led the charge with a blistering 70 off 37 deliveries, anchoring a strong batting performance.
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Lahore Qalandars keep their Pakistan Super League 11 playoff hopes alive with a crucial victory over Peshawar Zalmi in a must-win encounter that boosts their qualification chances.
Experienced opener Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten half-century propelled defending champions Lahore Qalandars to a hard-fought six-wicket victory over leaders Peshawar Zalmi.
The victory kept Qalandars alive in the eight-team tournament as it bolstered their points tally to 10, but has not yet guaranteed a playoffs spot, which will be determined by the outcome of the match between two debutants, Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz, scheduled to be played at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
Set to chase a daunting 200-run target in the must-win game, the Qalandars knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and three balls to spare.
The Qalandars got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as Khurram Shahzad dismissed their right-handed opener Mohammad Naeem (10) on the final delivery of the third over with just 21 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Fakhar then shared important partnerships with Abdullah Shafique and Charith Asalanka, who contributed with brisk 25 and 33, respectively.
The experienced opener then joined forces with all-rounder Sikandar Raza, and the duo bolstered the scoring rate by putting together 41 runs off 18 deliveries until the latter suffered a bizarre hit-wicket dismissal off Sufiyan Muqeem in the 16th over, and walked back after making an 11-ball 29.
Raza’s dismissal did not halt Qalandars’ progress as Daniel Sams ensured retaining the momentum with a blazing cameo of 35 not out from 15 deliveries, and eventually steered the defending champions over the line in the final over.
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Islamabad United on Friday handed Hyderabad Kingsmen a humiliating eight-wicket defeat in the 36th match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium.
The victory, which marked United’s fifth in the ongoing eight-team tournament, propelled the three-time champions into the playoffs, joining leaders Peshawar Zalmi and 2021 champions Multan Sultans.
Set to chase a modest 81-run target, the United comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 80 balls to spare.
The 2024 champions, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost left-handed opener Devon Conway (zero) on the second delivery of the innings.
But Sameer Minhas and Mohsin Riaz batted sensibly to put United within touching distance as they put together 79 runs for the second wicket until Ali struck again, dismissing Riaz, who top-scored with 42 off just 18 deliveries, studded with six fours and two sixes.
Minhas, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with 27 off 20 deliveries, featuring three fours and a six, while skipper Shadab hit the winning runs in the same over with a boundary on the first delivery he faced.
For the Kingsmen, Mohammad Ali remained the solitary wicket-taker in the gruelling defeat with two scalps.
United captain Shadab Khan’s decision to field first paid dividends as his team’s bowling unit booked the new entrants for 80 in 15.5 overs.
Kingsmen got off to the worst possible start to their innings as Gleeson dismissed Maaz Sadaqat (zero) on the first delivery of the innings.
The right-arm pacer swept through their top order by getting rid of Marnus Labuschagne (five) and Saim Ayub (12) in his next two overs and brought the total down to 24/3.
Following Gleeson’s early blitz was backed by the experienced spin duo of captain Shadab and Imad Wasim as they dismantled Kingsmen’s middle and lower orders by taking three wickets each despite last match centurion Usman Khan’s grit.
The wicketkeeper batter waged a lone battle for the Kingsmen with an unbeaten 25 off 35 deliveries, during which he struck only one boundary.
Besides Usman and Saim, only Kusal Perera and Asif Mehmood, 12 each, could amass double figures against a ruthless United bowling attack.
For United, Gleeson, Imad and Shadab bagged three wickets each, while left-arm pacer Salman Mirza chipped in with one scalp.
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Islamabad United won the toss and decided to bowl first against Hyderabad Kingsmen in the 36th match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Friday.
The fixture marks only the second meeting between United and Kingsmen, while their maiden face-off saw the debutants emerge victorious by six wickets.
United and Kingsmen enter the fixture with contrasting momenta as the new entrants are on a four-match winning streak, which came after as many consecutive defeats, while the three-time champions have three victories in their last five completed fixtures.
United, however, sit third in the PSL 11 standings with nine points after eight games and a victory over the Kingsmen will propel them into the playoffs with a match to spare.
Hyderabad Kingsmen, on the other hand, are placed fourth and need to win both their remaining matches to advance.
Playing XIs
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Saim Ayub, Kusal Perera, Usman Khan (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali and Asif Mehmood.
Islamabad United: Devon Conway (wk), Sameer Minhas, Mark Chapman, Mohsin Riaz, Shadab Khan (c), Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson and Salman Mirza.
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A composed half-century from captain David Warner, supported by a late surge from Khushdil Shah, guided Karachi Kings to a five-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 encounter at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Set to chase a daunting 200-run target, the visitors knocked off the winning runs for the loss of five wickets and eight balls to spare to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Kings got off to a shaky start to the pursuit as Ubaid Shah dismissed right-handed opener Jason Roy (nine) in the second over with just 10 runs on the board.
Warner then shared brief partnerships with Reeza Hendricks and Salman Ali Agha, who could contribute 10 and 14, respectively.
The skipper then received ample support from the other end in the form of Moeen Ali, and the experienced duo put together 58 runs at a brisk pace before Ubaid struck again, dismissing the latter, who made a 17-ball 39, laced with four sixes and a four.
The Kings then suffered another setback nine deliveries later as wicketkeeper batter Azam Khan, who scored 14 off eight balls, was cleaned up by Daniel Sams.
His dismissal paved the way for Khushdil Shah to walk out and bat at No.7, and the left-handed batter turned the game on its head with belligerent hitting, the highlight of which was the pulsating 18th over, bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, which went for 23 runs.
With just 11 runs required off 12 deliveries, Khushdil hit Haris Rauf for back-to-back sixes and steered the Kings over the line in the penultimate over.
Khushdil remained unbeaten with a swashbuckling 14-ball 44, comprising five fours and two sixes, while Warner top-scored with 63 not out from 44 deliveries, laced with 10 boundaries, including a six.
Ubaid was the pick of the bowlers for the Qalandars, taking three wickets for 41 runs in his four overs, while Daniel Sams and Haris Rauf made one scalp apiece.
Khushdil was named Player of the Match for a match-winning 44 off just 14 balls.
Kings captain David Warner’s decision to field first backfired as the holders piled up 199/6 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a century-plus partnership between Fakhar and Shafique.
The Qalandars, however, had a shaky start to their innings as Warner sent back young opener Mohammad Farooq (18) with a direct hit in the third over with just 24 runs on the board.
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Rawalpindiz registered their first victory of the Pakistan Super League 11 season, defeating Islamabad United after a commanding all-round performance at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Thursday.
Chasing 138, Rawalpindiz reached the target in the 19th over, losing four wickets, thanks to a solid finishing effort from skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam.
The innings got off to a poor start as opener Abdullah Fazal was dismissed on the very first ball of the match for a duck.
Ghulam and Rizwan then steadied the innings with a composed partnership, easing the pressure as runs flowed freely. Their stand crossed the 50-run mark and helped take the team past the half-century total.
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Steven Smith’s half-century and disciplined bowling guided Multan Sultans to a six-wicket victory over Rawalpindiz in the 31st match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Tuesday.
Set to chase a daunting 166-run target, the 2021 champions knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and eight balls to spare.
The Sultans got off to an underwhelming start to the pursuit as they lost opener Sahibzada Farhan (20) in the fourth over with 29 runs on the board.
Smith, who has been batting cautiously until Farhan’s dismissal, switched gears and put the Sultans into a commanding position by knitting a quickfire 69-run partnership for the second wicket with Josh Philippe before both perished in successive overs.
The veteran top-scored for the 2021 champions with a brisk 56 off just 31 deliveries, studded with five fours and three sixes, while Philippe made a cautious 19-ball 17.
With the scoreboard reading 100/3 in 11.3 overs and a further 66 runs required off 51 deliveries, skipper Ashton Turner joined his deputy Shan Masood, and the duo batted sensibly to put Sultans within touching distance by knitting a 57-run partnership.
Razaullah broke the stand on the first delivery of the penultimate over by dismissing Masood, who made 20 off 22 deliveries.
Turner, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with a 21-ball 37 as he steered the Sultans over the line in the same over alongside Arafat Minhas, who made seven not out.
Asif Afridi was the pick of the bowlers for the Pindiz, taking two wickets for 28 runs in his four overs, while Razaullah and Saad Masood could claim one apiece.
Opting to bat first, the debutants accumulated 166/6 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a handy fifth-wicket partnership between Mitchell and Dian Forrester.
The Pindiz, however, got off to a dismal start to their innings as they lost the top-order duo of Shahzaib Khan (zero) and Yasir Khan (four) inside two overs with just six runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Mitchell joined captain Mohammad Rizwan in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 63 runs for the third wicket until the former was stumped off Arafat Minhas in the 11th over.
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The Pindiz, however, got off to a dismal start to their innings as they lost the top-order duo of Shahzaib Khan (zero) and Yasir Khan (four) inside two overs with just six runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Mitchell joined captain Mohammad Rizwan in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 63 runs for the third wicket until the former was stumped off Arafat Minhas in the 11th over.
The Pindiz skipper could muster 26 off 29 deliveries with the help of one six and a four.
Mitchell was then involved in a crucial fourth-wicket partnership with Sam Billings, which yielded 52 runs off 39 deliveries before Mohammad Wasim Jr dismissed the latter with a short-pitched delivery in the 17th over. The wicketkeeper batter contributed with a 20-ball 29, featuring two fours and a six.
Billings’s dismissal paved the way for Forrester to walk out and bat at No.6, and the left-handed batter added valuable runs at the backend for RawalPindiz with a blistering 37-run cameo, coming off just 15 deliveries and featuring three sixes and as many fours.
Mitchell, on the other hand, ensured holding on to the other end firmly during the unbeaten 45-run partnership and returned after top-scoring with 58 not out from 46 deliveries, studded with three fours and two sixes.
For Sultans, Mohammad Imran, Peter Siddle, Wasim Jr and Minhas could pick up one wicket apiece.
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Peshawar Zalmi secured a convincing 118-run victory over Quetta Gladiators, powered by Babar Azam’s century and a disciplined bowling display, in the 29th match of PSL 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
Set to chase a daunting 256-run target, the previous edition’s runners-up could accumulate 137 runs before getting bowled out in 18.1 overs.
Middle-order batter Bevon Jacobs waged a lone battle for the Gladiators with a gutsy 34 off 27 deliveries, followed by young opener Shamyl Hussain with 21, while Dinesh Chandimal, Alzarri Joseph, 19 each, and skipper Saud Shakeel (12) were the others to amass double figures.
Mohammad Basit and Ali Raza jointly spearheaded Zalmi’s ruthless bowling charge with three wickets each, followed by Aaron Hardie with two, while Sufiyan Muqeem and Michael Bracewell chipped in with one apiece.
Quetta Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel’s decision to field first backfired as the leaders piled up 255/3 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a century-plus partnership for the second wicket between Babar and Mendis.
Zalmi got off to a high-flying start to their innings as Mohammad Haris’s blazing 16-run cameo upfront helped them raise 30 runs in just 1.3 overs until Alzarri Joseph gave the Gladiators a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing the opening batter on the subsequent delivery.
Following the setback, in-form Mendis joined skipper Babar in the middle, and the duo batted dominantly to stitch a monumental 135-run partnership for the second wicket, during which they both brought up their respective third half-century of the ongoing PSL 11.
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A blistering 52-ball century from Babar Azam, supported by a half-century from Kusal Mendis, powered Peshawar Zalmi to a daunting 256-run target against Quetta Gladiators in the 29th match of PSL 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
Quetta Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel’s decision to field first backfired as the leaders piled up 255/3 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a century-plus partnership for the second wicket between Babar and Mendis.
Zalmi got off to a high-flying start to their innings as Mohammad Haris’s blazing 16-run cameo upfront helped them raise 30 runs in just 1.3 overs until Alzarri Joseph gave the Gladiators a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing the opening batter on the subsequent delivery.
Following the setback, in-form Mendis joined skipper Babar in the middle, and the duo batted dominantly to stitch a monumental 135-run partnership for the second wicket, during which they both brought up their respective third half-century of the ongoing PSL 11.
Usman Tariq eventually broke the threatening partnership on the first delivery of the 15th over by dismissing Mendis, who walked back after scoring 83 off 44 deliveries, laced with 10 fours and three sixes.
Babar then shared a brief 24-run partnership for the third wicket with youngster Farhan Yousaf, who contributed with an eight-ball 19, featuring two fours and a six.
The Zalmi captain then joined forces with all-rounder Aaron Hardie and ensured a strong finish with the bat for the leaders as the duo put together an unbeaten 66-run partnership.
Babar, who dominated the stand, brought up his third PSL century on the final delivery of the innings, and thus top-scored for his side with an unbeaten 100 off 52 deliveries, studded with six fours and four sixes.
Hardie, on the other hand, chipped in with a handy 26-run cameo, coming off just 10 deliveries and featured three sixes.
For the Gladiators, Abrar Ahmed, Joseph and Usman could pick up a wicket apiece.
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Defending champions Lahore Qalandars secured their third victory of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 on Saturday, defeating Rawalpindiz by 32 runs at the National Bank Stadium Karachi to eliminate them from the tournament.
Chasing 211, Rawalpindiz were restricted to 178-9 in their 20 overs, courtesy of an excellent bowling performance by the Qalandars’ attack.
Pindiz made a poor start as opener Shahzaib Khan became the first batter dismissed in the third over, falling to skipper Shaheen Afridi.
Afridi struck again in the same over, removing captain Mohammad Rizwan for a run-a-ball nine, which included two boundaries, leaving the side struggling at 17-2 in 2.3 overs.
Daryl Mitchell and Yasir Khan then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership, taking the score past the 50-run mark. The duo added a 50-run stand as Yasir played positively, bringing up his fourth PSL half-century.
However, their 71-run partnership was broken when Haris Rauf dismissed Mitchell for 11 off 15 balls, including one four, leaving Pindiz at 88-3 in 9.2 overs.
Rauf struck again in the same over, removing Yasir after a brilliant 58 off 29 deliveries, which included six fours and three sixes.
Sam Billings and Dian Forrester attempted to rebuild the innings and took the score past 100. However, Sikandar Raza broke the stand by dismissing Billings via stumping for just seven runs.
RawalPindiz continued to lose wickets as Usama Mir joined the attack, removing Dian Forrester for eight off 10 balls, leaving the side at 110-6 in 12.5 overs.
Usama struck again, dismissing Colin McConchie for three off five deliveries. Daniel Sams then removed Razaullah cheaply for five off 10 balls, adding further pressure on the batting side.
Saad Masood fought hard with a spirited knock, pushing the total past 150 and bringing up his maiden PSL half-century.
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Peshawar Zalmi, champions in 2017, have formally qualified for the playoffs of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
Zalmi, who holds the top spot in the eight-team tournament’s standings with 13 points in seven matches, had their top-four finish guaranteed following Quetta Gladiators’ six-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars here at the National Bank Stadium earlier today.
The Gladiators’ victory meant that Zalmi’s tally of 13 points can no longer be toppled by the fourth-placed side by the end of the league stage.
Peshawar Zalmi started their PSL 11 campaign with a commanding five-wicket victory over debutants Rawalpindiz in the high-scoring affair, while their subsequent fixture against Islamabad United was washed out due to rain in Lahore.
The former champions then registered consecutive victories over Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi Kings, defending champions Qalandars, Multan Sultans and the Gladiators, respectively, to consolidate their top spot.
Zalmi’s next match is scheduled against the Gladiators at the aforementioned venue on Sunday, before they head back to Lahore, where they will be locking horns with the Kings and home side Qalandars on April 22 and 25, respectively.
It is pertinent to mention that despite Zalmi’s guaranteed top-four finish, all seven remaining sides remained in the race to make it to the playoffs, with three-time champions United and 2021 winners Sultans in strong contention.
United are second in the PSL 11 standings with nine points after seven matches, closely followed by Sultans, who have eight points, having played a game less.
Peshawar Zalmi squad for PSL 11
Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Tanzid Hasan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit and Shoriful Islam.
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Three-time champions Lahore Qalandars won the toss and opted to bat first against Quetta Gladiators in the 26th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium Karachi on Friday.
Playing XIs
Lahore Qalandars: Mohammad Naeem, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Charith Asalanka, Haseebullah (wk), Sikandar Raza, Daniel Sams, Mohammad Farooq, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Usama Mir and Haris Rauf.
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Half-centuries from Sameer Minhas and Devon Conway, backed by a disciplined bowling effort, powered Islamabad United to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Karachi Kings in the 25th match of PSL 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Thursday.
Set to chase a modest 151-run target, the three-time champions comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 24 balls to spare.
The United made a flamboyant start to the pursuit as their opening pair of Minhas and Conway yielded 93 runs in 10 overs.
Minhas dominated the opening stand with a blistering 58 off 36 deliveries, studded with 10 fours, until getting stumped off Kings’ stand-in captain Moeen Ali on the final delivery of the 10th over.
The United then suffered another jolt 14 deliveries as their in-form top-order batter Mohammad Faiq could muster five before falling victim to Hasan Ali in the 13th over.
Conway was then joined by skipper Shadab Khan in the middle, and the duo ensured retaining United’s momentum with an unbeaten 43-run partnership, which eventually steered the visitors to glory in 16 overs.
The left-handed opener contributed with an unbeaten 53 off 36 deliveries, laced with six fours and a six, while Shadab struck two sixes and a four on his way to a 16-ball 31 not out.
For the Kings, only Moeen and Hasan could pick up a wicket apiece.
Minhas claimed the Player of the Match award after guiding United with 58 off 36.
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Islamabad United won the toss and elected to bowl first against Karachi Kings in the 25th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi, on Thursday.
In 24 PSL meetings, the three-time champions Islamabad lead the head-to-head record with 18 victories, while the 2020 winners Karachi have secured six wins.
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A disciplined bowling display combined with captain Babar Azam’s unbeaten half-century powered Peshawar Zalmi to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 23rd Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.
The victory marked Zalmi’s sixth in seven matches and fifth consecutive after their washout against three-time champions Islamabad United in Lahore.
Set to chase a modest 155-run target, the leaders comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and nine balls to spare.
The leaders got off to a flamboyant start to the pursuit as their opening pair of Mohammad Haris and Babar put together 75 runs inside nine overs until the former was dismissed by Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel.
Haris remained a notable run-getter for Zalmi in the pursuit with a brisk 35 off 28 deliveries, featuring five fours and a six.
Following his dismissal, Babar joined forces with in-form Kusal Mendis (21), and the duo ensured retaining Zalmi’s momentum by knitting a 49-run partnership for the second wicket, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Alzarri Joseph in the 16th over.
Meanwhile, Babar held his ground firmly and eventually steered Zalmi over the line in the penultimate over, courtesy of an unbeaten 32-run partnership for the third wicket with Aaron Hardie, who made 18 not out from 14 deliveries.
The captain top-scored for Zalmi with an unbeaten 71 off 51 deliveries, studded with 10 fours.
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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Zimbabwean cricketer Blessing Muzarabani from participating in the next two editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for pulling out of the marquee league at the eleventh hour.
“Following a thorough disciplinary review, the PCB has announced that Zimbabwean cricketer Blessing Muzarabani is declared ineligible to participate in the next two (2) editions of the PSL, effective immediately,” the cricket board said in a statement.
Muzarabani was originally set to feature for Islamabad United in the PSL 2026, but the right-arm fast bowler withdrew himself as he was signed by Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.
The PCB reaffirmed its commitment to the highest standards of professional conduct and the sanctity of contractual agreements within the PSL.
“This decision stems from a fundamental failure to honour agreed-upon commitments, an action that undermines the professional framework of the league,” the statement read.
The PCB maintained that professional cricket operates on the bedrock of trust and the certainty of agreements. “In this instance, despite a clear offer and an unequivocal acceptance of essential terms, the player chose to disregard these obligations in favour of a conflicting arrangement.”
The PCB added that once essential terms — including remuneration and structure — are agreed upon through written correspondence, a binding obligation is formed, adding that the attempt to move away from such commitments without valid cause is a violation of contractual obligations and principles of good faith that govern global professional sports.
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka and Australia’s Spensor Johnson had also pulled out of the PSL and joined the IPL.
The PCB added: “Professionalism in franchise-based leagues requires participants to act with transparency and consistency. Entering into a conflicting engagement while a prior binding agreement subsists represents a departure from the expected standards of the game. Such conduct, if left unaddressed, erodes the reliability of dealings and the confidence that franchises, regulators, and stakeholders place in professional engagements.”
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Kusal Mendis’ superb innings backed by an impressive spin attack guided Peshawar Zalmi to a comfortable victory over Multan Sultans in the 22nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Monday.
Set to chase a daunting 197-run target, the Sultans could accumulate 172/8 in their 20 overs and thus succumbed to their second defeat in the ongoing eight-team tournament.
The 2021 champions got off to a dismal start to the pursuit as they lost in-form Sahibzada Farhan (17) in the third over with just 30 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Steve Smith and Josh Philippe attempted to force the Sultans’ recovery by putting together an anchoring 55-run partnership before Sufiyan Muqeem dismissed both the set batters in the pulsating 10th over.
Philippe scored a brisk 17-ball 32 with the help of six fours, while Smith made a cautious 31 off 29 deliveries.
Vice captain Shan Masood then took the reins of the Sultans’ pursuit and shared important partnerships with skipper Ashton Turner (20) and Arafat Minhas until eventually being dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed in the 16th over.
Masood remained the top-scorer for the Sultans with a 19-ball 35, comprising five fours.
Sultans suffered another setback in the following over as Nahid Rana sent Minhas back, who could score four off five deliveries.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne scored an unbeaten half-century as the side beat Islamabad United by six wickets in the 21st match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi, on Sunday.
The victory marked Kingsmen’s second consecutive as they had beaten 2020 champions Karachi Kings in their previous assignment after losing four consecutive matches.
Set to chase a modest 154-run target, the tournament debutants comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and 11 balls to spare.
Leading the way for them was captain Labuschagne, who oversaw their successful run chase with an unbeaten 61 off 53 deliveries, studded with six fours.
The skipper received ample support from fellow top-order batters Maaz Sadaqat and Saim Ayub, who made brisk 30 and 35, respectively, before sharing a match-winning partnership with compatriot Glenn Maxwell, who scored an unbeaten 21 off just nine deliveries.
For the United, stand-in captain Chris Green and Faheem Ashraf bagged two wickets each.
Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne’s decision to field first paid dividends as the three-time champions could accumulate 153/9 in their 20 overs.
The United got off to a decent start to their innings as their opening pair of Sameer Minhas and Devon Conway put together 56 runs until the former was cleaned up by Mohammad Ali on the penultimate delivery of the batting powerplay.
Minhas made a blazing 22 off just 13 deliveries, hitting three fours and a six.
Conway was then involved in a brief 31-run partnership for the second wicket with Mohammad Faiq before both got run out in the 10th over, resulting in the three-time champions slipping to 89/3.
The left-handed opener remained the top-scorer for the United, making 45 off 31 deliveries with the help of seven fours, while Faiq made a 14-ball 18, comprising one six.
The United lost two more wickets in quick succession, as Haider Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf walked back after scoring six and five, respectively, and thus slipped further to 113/5 in 15.3 overs.
Meanwhile, No.4 batter Mark Chapman, who held one end firmly during the collapse in the middle phase, was eventually dismissed by Asif Mehmood on the second delivery of the final over and walked back after top-scoring with a valiant 42 off 30 deliveries with the help of three fours and two sixes.
Mehmood struck thrice more in the final over, dismissing experienced all-rounder Imad Wasim (two), Mehran Mumtaz (zero) and Chris Green (six), to deny United from adding valuable runs to their total at the backend.
The debutant spearheaded the Kingsmen’s bowling charge with four wickets for just 18 runs in his four overs, followed by Ali with two, while Glenn Maxwell chipped in with one
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Hyderabad Kingsmen won the toss and elected to bowl first against Islamabad United in the 21st match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
This is the first time both sides face each other in the history of the tournament.
Playing XIs
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Saim Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (c), Usman Khan (wk), Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Irfan Khan Niazi, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Asif Mehmood, and Mohammad Ali.
Islamabad United: Devon Conway (wk), Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Faiq, Mark Chapman, Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green (c), Richard Gleeson, Mehran Mumtaz, and Salman Irshad.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen opened their winning account in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 with a four-wicket triumph over Karachi Kings at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Saturday.
The victory marked the Kingsmen’s first in their debut PSL appearance and came after four consecutive defeats against Lahore Qalandars, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi, respectively.
Hyderabad Kingsmen got off to a spirited start to the pursuit as their captain Marnus Labuschagne played a blistering 26-run cameo off just 10 deliveries until falling victim to Khushdil Shah in the third over with 36 runs on the board.
Wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan joined opener Maaz Sadaqat in the middle, and the duo ensured retaining the momentum by knitting a quickfire 60-run off just 30 deliveries before both perished in quick succession.
Sadaqat remained the top-scorer for the Kingsmen with a blazing 37 off 29 deliveries with the help of four fours and two sixes, while Usman chipped in with a 13-ball 27, featuring three fours and two sixes.
Their back-to-back dismissals sparked a collapse, which saw the Kingsmen losing two more wickets of Saim Ayub (six) and Glenn Maxwell (two) and were thus reduced to 112/5 in 11.4 overs.
No.7 batter Irfan then took charge of the Kingsmen’s pursuit and shared an important 27-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Kusal Perera, who contributed with a 14-ball 17.
Irfan was then joined by Hassan Khan in the middle, and the duo displayed nerves of steel to propel the Kingsmen to a much-craved triumph in the final over with an unbeaten 50-run partnership.
Hassan dominated the match-winning partnership by contributing 33 off just 16 deliveries, while Irfan remained unbeaten with a 20-ball 29.
Abbas Afridi was the pick of the bowlers for the Kings, taking two wickets for 30 runs in his four overs, while Hasan Ali, Khushdil Shah, Adam Zampa and Salman Ali Agha made one scalp apiece.
Hassan was declared Player of the Match after a decisive 33-run knock off 16 balls.
Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne’s decision to field first backfired as the home side piled up 188/8 in their 20 overs.
The Kings, however, got off to a dismal start to their innings as they lost Reeza Hendricks (two) in the first over with just two runs on the board.
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Peshawar Zalmi thumped Lahore Qalandars by 76 runs in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash, securing their fourth win through a commanding bowling display at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Saturday.
Qalandars were bundled out for 97 in the 17th over while chasing a target of 174, as Zalmi’s bowling unit delivered a dominant display.
Lahore got off to a poor start when pacer Shoriful Islam dismissed opener Mohammad Naeem for one off two deliveries on the third ball of the second over.
Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique then steadied the innings, with the duo adding a useful partnership and scoring at a decent rate.
However, Nahid Rana broke the 39-run stand by dismissing Shafique for 21 off 15 deliveries, including four boundaries, leaving Qalandars at 43-2 in 5.4 overs.
Fakhar was the next to depart, as Michael Bracewell removed him on the third ball of the seventh over after he scored 21 off 19 deliveries, which included three fours.
Haseebullah and Asif Ali followed soon after, falling to Bracewell and Sufiyan Muqeem respectively. Haseebullah managed just three off eight balls, while Asif was dismissed for a duck, reducing Lahore to 56-5 in 9.2 overs.
The pressure continued to mount as wickets kept tumbling, with Sikandar Raza becoming the next batter to fall. He scored 14 off 13 deliveries, including two fours, before being dismissed by Bracewell, who claimed his third wicket.
Sufiyan Muqeem struck again to remove Shaheen Afridi for five off seven deliveries, leaving Qalandars struggling at 67-7 in 11.4 overs.
Lahore’s woes deepened as Nahid Rana returned to claim his second wicket, dismissing Usama Mir for just one, as the collapse continued.
Qalandars were nine down when Sufiyan struck again, dismissing Ubaid Shah for four off six deliveries, including one boundary, while Wellalage was the final batter to fall, removed by Aamer Jamal after scoring 20.
Batting first, Zalmi made a confident start as openers Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam set the tone with positive stroke play.
Haris provided early momentum before Shaheen Afridi made the breakthrough in the first delivery of his second over, dismissing him for 18 off 10 balls, an innings featuring two fours and a six.
Babar then combined with Kusal Mendis to rebuild the innings, with the pair stitching together a composed and impactful partnership. Their stand took Zalmi past the 50-run mark with ease and steadily shifted momentum in their favour.
Mendis was in superb touch, taking control of the Qalandars’ attack and bringing up a successive PSL 11 half-century. At the other end, Babar anchored the innings with maturity, guiding the partnership beyond the 100-run milestone.
The duo’s stand of 109 runs showcased control, timing and composure under pressure.
The partnership was eventually broken when Usama Mir removed Babar for 43 off 40 deliveries, including three fours and a six, leaving Zalmi at 127-2 in 15.2 overs.
Michael Bracewell then added valuable runs to push the total past 150, but Shaheen Afridi struck again to dismiss Mendis for a brilliant 74 off 48 balls, featuring five fours and four sixes.
Ubaid Shah further dented Zalmi’s progress by removing Abdul Samad for two, reducing them to 153-4 in 17.3 overs.
Late blows followed as Mustafizur Rahman accounted for Bracewell, who made a quickfire 21 off 10 balls with one four and two sixes. Shaheen Afridi then returned in the final over to claim his third wicket, dismissing young Farhan Yousaf for two.
Zalmi’s innings closed with Iftikhar Ahmed unbeaten on seven and Sufiyan Muqeem on one, as they finished on 173-7 after 20 overs.
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Rilee Rossouw’s anchoring half-century, supported by a disciplined bowling display, powered Quetta Gladiators to a commanding 61-run win over Rawalpindi in the 18th match of the Pakistan Super League at the National Bank Stadium on Friday.
Set to chase a daunting 184-run target, Pindiz’s batting unit faltered and could yield 121 before getting booked in 17.3 overs.
Emerging all-rounder Saad Masood waged a lone battle for the Pindiz and remained their top-scorer with a brisk 19-ball 31, followed by experienced middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell, who made a cautious 30 off 32 deliveries.
Besides them, only Yasir Khan and Abdullah Fazal could amass double figures, making 22 and 20, respectively.
Usman Tariq, Jahandad Khan and captain Saud Shakeel jointly led the Gladiators’ bowling charge with two wickets each, while Kashif Bhatti and Abrar Ahmed chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Put into bat first, the previous edition’s runners-up accumulated 182/6 in their 20 overs, setting a daunting target for the debutants to taste their maiden victory in the ongoing eight-team tournament.
The Gladiators, however, got off to a shaky start to their innings as they lost debutant opener Sam Harper (eight) on the first delivery of the fourth over with just 22 runs on the board.
Following the early setback, Rossouw joined captain Saud Shakeel in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to stabilise the innings with an anchoring 87-run partnership for the second wicket.
Mubasir Khan, who was slotted into the Pindiz’s lineup as a partial replacement of pacer Naseem Shah, broke the crucial partnership in the 15th over by dismissing Rossouw, who remained their top-scorer with a 42-ball 53, studded with six fours and a six.
Saud followed suit in the next over, falling victim to Ben Sears, and walked back after scoring an important 42 off 39 deliveries, comprising three fours.
Experienced Mohammad Amir inflicted two more blows to the Gladiators’ batting expedition by dismissing Khawaja Nafay and Bevon Jacobs in his successive overs and thus brought the total down to 156/6 in 16.2 overs.
But middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz added valuable runs to the Gladiators’ total at the backend with a blazing 39 off just 16 deliveries, studded with five sixes, until eventually falling victim to Ben Sears in the final over.
Nawaz was supported by Jahandad Khan at the backend as the all-rounder contributed with an unbeaten 21 off just six deliveries, hitting two sixes and as many fours.
Sears was the pick of the bowlers for the Pindiz, taking three wickets for 41 runs in his four overs, followed by experienced Amir, who bagged two, while Mubasir could claim one.
Playing XIs
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (c), Sam Harper, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay, Bevon Jacobs, Rilee Rossouw, Jahandad Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Khalil Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.
RawalPindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Usman Khawaja, Yasir Khan, Abdullah Fazal, Mubasir Khan, Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Saad Masood, Asif Afridi, Mohammad Amir and Ben Sears.
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Rawalpindiz won the toss and opted to field first against Quetta Gladiators in the 18th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Friday.
Playing XIs
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (c), Sam Harper, Hasan Nawaz, Khawaja Nafay, Bevon Jacobs, Rilee Rossouw, Jahandad Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Khalil Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.
RawalPindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Usman Khawaja, Yasir Khan, Abdullah Fazal, Mubasir Khan, Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Saad Masood, Asif Afridi, Mohammad Amir and Ben Sears.
Head-to-head
The upcoming fixture will be the first-ever meeting between the Gladiators and the Pindiz, as the latter are making their maiden appearance in the PSL.
Form guide
Gladiators and Pindiz enter the fixture with not all, but similar momentum as the former champions have just one victory in their four matches, while the tournament debutants are yet to taste a triumph in the PSL 11.
The 2019 champions kicked off their campaign with a narrow 14-run defeat at the hands of Karachi Kings before humbling another debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen, by 40 runs.
They, however, failed to continue the winning run and suffered back-to-back losses against holders Lahore Qalandars and three-time champions Islamabad United, respectively.
Pindiz, on the other hand, were beaten by Peshawar Zalmi, Kings, United and leaders Sultans in their first four matches and thus sit at the bottom of the PSL 11 standings.
Quetta Gladiators: L, L, W, L, L (most recent first)
RawalPindiz: L, L, L, L
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Islamabad United clinched a commanding victory over defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the 16th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Thursday.
Chasing a modest target of 101, United lost just one wicket by the 11th over, thanks to an outstanding batting display from Devon Conway.
Islamabad got off to a shaky start as opener Sameer Minhas was dismissed for five runs off eight balls, which included a boundary, by Shaheen Afridi on the first delivery of the third over.
Conway then combined with Mohammad Faiq to build a steady partnership, taking their side past the 50-run mark by the sixth over.
The pair batted sensibly, scoring at a healthy pace and dominating the Qalandars’ bowling attack, boosting their team’s morale and bringing up a half-century stand.
Conway was in scintillating form, striking boundaries at regular intervals to reach his maiden PSL fifty.
He finished unbeaten on 59 off 35 deliveries, including seven fours and three sixes, while Faiq contributed a brilliant 34 from 19 balls, hitting six fours, to guide Islamabad United to a comfortable win.
Batting first, Qalandars were bowled out for 100 in 18.3 overs, largely due to United’s dominant spin attack.
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Peshawar Zalmi beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by four wickets in a gripping low-scoring clash of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.
Zalmi comfortably chased down the 146-run target, losing six wickets in the final over, thanks to solid contributions from skipper Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis.
The chase began on a shaky note as opener Mohammad Haris fell for 11 off six deliveries, including a four and a six, after playing a loose shot off Maheesh Theekshana, leaving the team at 17-1 in 1.5 overs.
Babar and Mendis then stabilised the innings, forging a crucial partnership and guiding the team past the 50-run mark to lay the foundation for the chase.
However, the 49-run stand was broken when Saim Ayub dismissed Mendis, who scored 27 off 23 deliveries, including one four and two sixes, leaving Zalmi at 66-2 in 8.2 overs.
Michael Bracewell joined Babar at the crease and the duo kept the scoreboard ticking, adding a valuable partnership that took the total past the 100-run mark.
Saim struck again to claim his second wicket, dismissing Bracewell for 25 off 19 deliveries, which included two fours and a six, ending the 38-run stand and reducing Zalmi to 104-3 in 13.4 overs.
Babar Azam was dismissed on the final delivery of the 15th over as Hassan Khan ended his innings of 43 off 37 deliveries, which featured six fours.
Zalmi came under pressure when Mohammad Ali removed Farhan Yousaf for 15 off 13 deliveries, including two fours, followed by Hunain Shah, who dismissed Abdul Samad for one, leaving the side at 125-6 in 17.1 overs.
With 14 required off the final over, Hunain Shah conceded the remaining runs as Iftikhar Ahmed finished unbeaten on 15 off 10 deliveries, including a four and a six, while Aamer Jamal chipped in with six runs to seal the victory.
Iftikhar was named Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance, claiming four wickets and scoring a crucial 15 off 10 balls under pressure.
Batting first, Kingsmen were bundled out for 145 in 18.2 overs. The innings got off to a promising start as openers Maaz Sadaqat and Saim Ayub added valuable runs early on.
However, the 26-run opening stand was broken in the third over when Iftikhar dismissed Sadaqat for 17 off eight balls, which included three boundaries.
Iftikhar struck again in his second over, removing two established batters. Saim Ayub fell for 14 off 15 deliveries, with two fours, followed by Usman Khan, who was out for a duck, leaving Hyderabad struggling at 33-3 in 4.3 overs.
Iftikhar continued his fiery spell, claiming another wicket as he clean bowled Sharjeel Khan for two off five balls, further intensifying the pressure on the Kingsmen.
Skipper Marnus Labuschagne and Kusal Perera then combined to steady the innings, putting together a crucial 50-run partnership that helped Hyderabad cross the 50-run mark.
The duo batted sensibly, taking the score past 100 before the partnership was broken by Sufiyan Muqeem, who dismissed Labuschagne for a run-a-ball 27, which included three boundaries, leaving the team at 116-5 in 14.1 overs.
Perera shone with the bat, raising his third PSL fifty with a well-paced and impactful innings. However, Muqeem struck again in the final stages, dismantling the Kingsmen’s lower order.
In his last over, he removed Irfan Khan Niazi for nine, Kusal Perera for 58 off 35 balls, which included five fours and two sixes, and finally Maheesh Theekshana for a duck.
Hunain Shah became the ninth Kingsmen wicket as he was run out by Farhan Yousuf with a direct hit without facing a delivery, while Hassan Khan was the last batsman dismissed by Aamer Jamal after scoring nine runs.
Iftikhar and Sufiyan were the standout bowlers for Zalmi, sharing eight wickets between them. Iftikhar claimed 4/21 in his four overs, while Sufiyan took 4/32 in his four-over spell. Aamer Jamal also contributed with one wicket.
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Iftikhar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem both claimed four-wicket hauls to power Peshawar Zalmi as they bowled Hyderabad Kingsmen out for 145 in the 15th Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.
Batting first, Kingsmen were bundled out for 145 in 18.2 overs. The innings got off to a promising start as openers Maaz Sadaqat and Saim Ayub added valuable runs early on.
However, the 26-run opening stand was broken in the third over when Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed Sadaqat for 17 off eight balls, which included three boundaries.
Iftikhar struck again in his second over, removing two established batters. Saim Ayub fell for 14 off 15 deliveries, with two fours, followed by Usman Khan, who was out for a duck, leaving Hyderabad struggling at 33-3 in 4.3 overs.
Iftikhar continued his fiery spell, claiming another wicket as he clean bowled Sharjeel Khan for two off five balls, further intensifying the pressure on the Kingsmen.
Skipper Marnus Labuschagne and Kusal Perera then combined to steady the innings, putting together a crucial 50-run partnership that helped Hyderabad cross the 50-run mark.
The duo batted sensibly, taking the score past 100 before the partnership was broken by Sufiyan Muqeem, who dismissed Labuschagne for a run-a-ball 27, which included three boundaries, leaving the team at 116-5 in 14.1 overs.
Perera shone with the bat, raising his third PSL fifty with a well-paced and impactful innings. However, Muqeem struck again in the final stages, dismantling the Kingsmen’s lower order.
In his last over, he removed Irfan Khan Niazi for nine, Kusal Perera for 58 off 35 balls, which included five fours and two sixes, and finally Maheesh Theekshana for a duck.
Hunain Shah became the ninth Kingsmen wicket as he was run out by Farhan Yousuf with a direct hit without facing a delivery, while Hassan Khan was the last batsman dismissed by Aamer Jamal after scoring nine runs.
Iftikhar Ahmed and Sufiyan Muqeem were the standout bowlers for Zalmi, sharing eight wickets between them. Iftikhar claimed 4/21 in his four overs, while Sufiyan took 4/32 in his four-over spell. Aamer Jamal also contributed with one wicket.
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Sahibzada Farhan and Josh Philippe scored fifties as Multan Sultans beat Rawalpindiz by seven wickets in the 14th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday.
Set to chase a 183-run target, the Sultans comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just three wickets and 22 balls to spare.
The leaders, however, had a contrasting start to their pursuit as Mohammad Amir dismissed their in-form opener Steve Smith (five) in the second over with just 12 runs on the board.
But the early setback did not bother the Sultans as in-form Farhan and Philippe turned the game on its head by putting together a blazing 110-run partnership for the second wicket, which saw both batters amassing their respective half-centuries.
The monumental stand was eventually broken by Amir in the 12th over when he outfoxed Philippe with a slower delivery, who remained a notable run-getter for the Sultans with a brisk 56 off 30 deliveries, comprising six fours and three sixes.
Farhan, on the other hand, followed suit 11 balls later, getting cleaned up by Amir Khan after top-scoring for the Sultans with 68 off 36 deliveries, studded with five sixes and four fours.
Following the back-to-back departure of set batters, skipper Ashton Turner and his deputy Shan Masood batted sensibly at the backend and steered their side to glory on the second delivery of the 17th over with an unbeaten 47-run partnership.
Masood remained unbeaten with a 15-ball 27, while Turner made 26 not out from just 10 deliveries.
Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers for the Pindiz, taking two wickets for 32 runs in his three overs, while Mohammad Amir Khan bagged one.
Put into bat first, the seventh-placed side racked up 182/8 in their 20 overs despite Faisal Akram’s four-wicket haul.
The Pindiz got off to a shaky start to their innings as their opener Yasir Khan (five) was dismissed by Muhammad Ismail in the third over with just 15 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, captain Mohammad Rizwan (19) was joined by Kamran Ghulam in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to raise an anchoring 33-run partnership for the second wicket, which culminated with the former’s dismissal off Arafat Minhas in the sixth over.
Ghulam was then involved in brief partnerships with Abdullah Fazal (14) and Daryl Mitchell (17), until eventually getting dismissed by Akram in the 10th over and walking back after scoring a 24-ball 35, laced with three fours and two sixes.
His dismissal paved the way for Sam Billings to walk out and bat at No.6, and the wicketkeeper batter waged a valiant fight to add valuable runs at the backend with his unbeaten 56 off 34 deliveries, studded with seven fours and a six.
He also shared a 33-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Dian Forrester, who played a blistering 24-run cameo off just 11 deliveries, featuring three sixes.
Akram spearheaded the Sultans’ bowling charge with economical figures of 4/31 in his four overs, followed by Minhas, who bagged two wickets, while Peter Siddle and Ismail chipped in with one scalp apiece.
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Steven Smith struck a fifty as Multan Sultans clinched a six-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Set to chase a modest 167-run target, the 2021 champions comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and 15 balls to spare.
The Sultans got off to a high-flying start to the run chase as their opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Smith raised 71 runs in just five overs before Alzarri Joseph dismissed the former on the first delivery of the subsequent over.
Farhan made a handy contribution with a brisk 32 off just 14 deliveries, comprising four fours and two sixes.
The Sultans suffered another setback an over later as Josh Philippe fell victim to Saud Shakeel after scoring a 15-ball 18.
With the scoreboard reading 96/2 in eight overs, Shan Masood joined Smith in the middle, and the duo knitted a quick 40-run stand to put the Sultans within touching distance before the latter was eventually dismissed by Hasan Nawaz in the 14th over.
Smith remained the top-scorer for Sultans with a swashbuckling 53 off 35 deliveries, studded with seven fours and a six.
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Multan Sultan have won the toss and opted to field first against Quetta Gladiators in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Multan Sultans field an unchanged XI, while Rilee Rossouw replaced Ben McDermott for Quetta Gladiators.
Playing XIs
Quetta Gladiators: Shamyl Hussain, Saud Shakeel (c), Khawaja Nafay (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz, Bevon Jacobs, Ahmed Daniyal, Tom Curran, Alzarri Joseph, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.
Multan Sultans: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Muhammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Muhammad Ismail and Faisal Akram.
Head-to-head
Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators have come face-to-face 15 times in the marquee league, and the former lead the head-to-head record with nine victories, while the 2019 champions have six to their name.
Their last meeting came in the landmark 10th edition of the PSL, which the Gladiators won narrowly by two wickets. Earlier in the tournament, the Gladiators also registered a perfect 10-wicket victory over the Sultans.
Matches: 15
Multan Sultans: 9
Quetta Gladiators: 6
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Islamabad United secured a commanding seven-wicket victory over RawalPindiz following Sameer Minhas’ blistering half-century and a disciplined bowling performance in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Set to chase a modest 157-run target, the three-time champions comfortably knocked the runs for the loss of just three wickets and 34 balls to spare.
Leading the way for them was emerging opener Sameer, who made a quickfire 70 off just 36 deliveries, studded with seven fours and three sixes.
His brilliance was backed by fellow top-order batter Mohammad Faiq (19) and the middle-order duo of Haider Ali and Mark Chapman, who remained unbeaten with 26 and 24, respectively.
For Pindiz, Rishad Hossain, Jalat Khan and Mohammad Amir could pick up a wicket apiece.United captain Shadab Khan’s decision to field first proved beneficial as the Pindiz could accumulate 156/7 in their 20 overs despite Kamran Ghulam’s anchoring half-century.
The Pindiz got off to a dismal start to their innings as Richard Gleeson dismissed both their openers, Yasir Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan, two each, inside four overs with just 15 runs on the board.
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Islamabad United won the toss and decided to field first against RawalPindiz in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Saturday.
This fixture marks the first-ever meeting between United and RawalPindiz as the latter are featuring in their maiden PSL.
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Lahore Qalandars clinched a 20-run victory over Multan Sultans with Mohammad Naeem’s fifty and disciplined bowling in a rain-curtailed match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Set to chase a daunting 186-run target in 13 overs, the 2021 champions could accumulate 165/5 despite a blistering cameo by Shan Masood and an unbeaten half-century by captain Ashton Turner.
The Sultans got off to a shaky start to the pursuit as they lost Steve Smith (nine) and Josh Philippe (one) inside the batting powerplay, comprising 3.5 overs, with just 18 runs on the board.
Following the early setbacks, Masood and in-form Sahibzada Farhan (24) put together a cautious 32-run partnership for the third wicket, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal off Mustafizur Rahman in the sixth over.
Masood, on the other hand, continued his counter-attack until he too fell victim to Rahman on the third delivery of the 10th over and walked back after scoring an 18-ball 44, comprising seven fours and a six.
Following his dismissal, captain Turner and emerging all-rounder Arafat Minhas (25) knitted a valiant 57-run partnership for the fifth wicket until the latter was dismissed by Sikandar Raza on the fourth delivery of the final over.
Turner, on the other hand, batted until the end and top-scored with an unbeaten 52 off 22 deliveries with the help of five sixes and two fours, but his efforts were insufficient to pull off a miraculous victory for the Sultans, who suffered their first defeat in the ongoing PSL 11.
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Sameer Minhas and Shadab Khan powered Islamabad United past Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets in the ninth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Thursday.
United chased down Gladiators’ 184-run target with two wickets down in the 19th over, courtesy of a match-winning knock from emerging batter Sameer Minhas and a vital contribution by skipper Shadab Khan.
The side got off to a strong start as openers Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas piled on runs early, laying a solid foundation for the chase.
However, the 40-run opening stand was broken when Abrar Ahmed dismissed Conway for 18 off 19 deliveries, including two fours and a six.
Abrar struck again shortly after, removing Andries Gous for two off four balls, reducing United to 61-2 in 6.5 overs.
Sameer and Shadab then steadied the innings, forging a crucial 50-run partnership to take the total past the 100-run mark and put their side in a commanding position.
The young opener remained in sublime form, bringing up his maiden PSL half-century. Shadab also stayed in fine touch, leading from the front and guiding the team towards the target with his ninth PSL fifty.
Shadab struck back-to-back boundaries against the opposition bowlers, piling pressure on them as the match slipped away, guiding Islamabad’s total past the 150-run mark in the 16th over and raising a 100-run stand alongside Minhas.
In the end, Islamabad United chased down the target with Sameer Minhas unbeaten, top-scoring with 83 off 48 balls, including eight fours and three sixes, while Shadab Khan played a brilliant 68 off 38 deliveries, hitting five fours and four sixes.
Batting first, the Gladiators reached 183-5 in their allotted 20 overs, despite an explosive start from their opening pair, Shamyl Hussain and Saud Shakeel.
The duo attacked Islamabad United’s bowling from the outset, finding boundaries at regular intervals and putting on a 50-run opening stand.
The partnership was broken in the fifth over when pacer Salman Irshad dismissed Shamyl Hussain for 21 off 15 balls, which included one four and two sixes.
Khawaja Nafay then joined Shakeel to form a promising partnership, but Shadab Khan struck to remove the skipper for a brisk 42 off 26 balls, featuring three fours and three sixes, leaving the Gladiators at 71-2 in 8.1 overs.
Runs continued to flow for Quetta, but wickets fell at regular intervals. Imad Wasim claimed Khawaja Nafay for 18 off 14 balls, which included two fours and a six.
Shadab Khan struck again in the 12th over, first dismissing wicketkeeper-batter Ben McDermott for three off six balls and then sending back Bevon Jacobs for a first-ball duck, leaving the Gladiators in trouble at 93-5.
Hassan Nawaz and Tom Curran then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership, adding valuable runs and helping the team surpass the 100-run mark.
Quetta gained momentum in the 16th over as Nawaz smashed 21 runs off Imad Wasim’s over, putting the team in a strong position. The duo shared a 50-run stand and continued to score at a brisk pace in the final overs.
Nawaz was in top form, hitting boundaries consistently to raise his bat for his fifth PSL half-century. The innings concluded with Quetta Gladiators posting a competitive total of 183-5.
Nawaz remained unbeaten on 64 off 35 balls, striking six fours and three sixes, while Curran contributed 29 off 22 deliveries, including two fours and a six.
Shadab Khan was Islamabad United’s standout bowler, registering figures of 3/23 in four overs, while Imad Wasim and Salman Irshad contributed one wicket each.
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Sahibzada Farhan’s brilliant century powered Multan Sultans to a successful 226-run chase against Hyderabad Kingsmen in the eighth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.
Set to chase a daunting 226-run target, the 2021 champions knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and eight balls to spare, courtesy of Farhan.
The right-handed opener oversaw the Sultans’ pursuit with an unbeaten century and top-scored with 106 off just 57 deliveries, studded with eight sixes and seven fours.
Farhan received ample support from his opening partner, Steve Smith, and vice-captain Shan Masood, who made 46 and 29, respectively, before knitting an unbeaten 37-run partnership with Arafat Minhas, who chipped in with a brisk 26 off 11 deliveries.
Saim Ayub was the pick of the bowlers for the Kingsmen, taking two wickets for 43 runs in his four overs, while Maheesh Theekshana and Hassan Khan could pick up one apiece.
Farhan was declared Player of the Match.
Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne’s decision to bat first paid dividends as the tournament debutants piled up 225/5 in their 20 overs.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen decided to bat first after winning the toss against Multan Sultans in the eighth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Playing XI
Multan Sultans: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (capt), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shahzad Gul, and Momin Qamar.
Hyderabad Kingsmen: Saim Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (capt), Usman Khan (wk), Syed Saad Ali, Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Sharjeel Khan, Maheesh Theekshana, Riley Meredith, and Mohammad Ali.
Head-to-head
The upcoming fixture marks the first-ever meeting between Sultans and Kingsmen as the latter are playing their maiden PSL.
Form Guide
Sultans and Kingsmen enter the fixture with contrasting momentum in their favour as the 2021 champions are coming off a comprehensive five-wicket victory over Islamabad United in their campaign opener, while the new entrants are on a two-match losing streak.
Kingsmen made their PSL debut against holders Lahore Qalandars last week and suffered a 69-run thrashing before locking horns with the previous edition’s runners-up Quetta Gladiators, who inflicted a 40-run defeat on them.
Multan Sultans: W, L, L, L, L (most recent first)
Hyderabad Kingsmen: L, L
