Well, it was anything that could stop the successful run chase of Islamabad United, it has to be Lahore Qalandars.
What a fabulous performance by them to win and win by a huge margin of 119 runs. It really speaks volumes of bowling attack that they have.
They’ve secured a spot in the top 2 of the points table. They have got that bowling attack, they’ve got the resources, Harris, Rauf, Sam Billings with a brilliant chemistry.
Everybody getting in and they were able to control Islamabad United pretty well.
All smiles for their captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, he’s been leading the side so well. Lahore Qalandars have a magnificent first half, 226/5.
Fakhar Zaman was the star of the show, 115 in just 57 balls and then the response from Islamabad United, they were bowled out for 107, courtesy a brilliant bowling performance by Rashid Khan taking four wickets.
Rashid outfoxed the middle-order with his legspin and sharp googlies before Islamabad was bowled out for 107 in 15.1 overs in the biggest defeat in PSL history in terms of runs.
Multan Sultans held the previous record when they beat Quetta Gladiators by 117 runs last year.
Fast bowler Zaman Khan (2-17) bowled brilliantly in the powerplay and picked up the wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (15) and Colin Munro (11) while David Wiese bowled a brilliant wide yorker and had Alex Hales caught behind for 18 in the eighth over before Rashid hurried through the middle-order.
Islamabad’s chase was dealt a big blow when in-form batter Azam Khan injured the ring finger of his left hand during wicketkeeping and was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays.
Lahore is certain to finish among the top two after successfully defending totals in seven of its nine league games and is on top of the table with 14 points with its last league game against Karachi Kings scheduled for Sunday.
Islamabad has 12 points and will take on Peshawar Zalmi in its last league game on Sunday and could also still finish among the top two.
Islamabad captain Shadab Khan also couldn’t stop the flow of runs in the middle overs as he conceded 32 runs off his two overs.
Fakhar shared a rapid 122-run stand with Kamran Ghulam, who made 41 off 30 balls as Faheem Ashraf (0-43) and Mohammad Wasim (1-48) returned with expensive figures.
Fakhar, who hit eight fours and eight sixes, finally exited when Wasim took a smart diving catch at deep backward square in the 18th over but Sam Billings played a little cameo of 32 to give Lahore a strong finish in the end
Today’s schedule:
Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans
Report by: Saif R Siddiqui