Day: February 19, 2023

Karachi, February 19, 2023 (PPI-OT):Martin Guptill’s superlative century – the first of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 – scripted Quetta Gladiators’ six-run win over Karachi Kings at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Friday evening. Guptill’s astonishing effort – that saw him rack up the joint-second highest individual score in HBL PSL history with 67-ball 117 – consigned Karachi Kings to their third straight defeat of the season.

Quetta Gladiators were in dire straits early in their innings when the opposing team’s skipper Imad Wasim ran riot with a scorching spell upfront returning three for 16 in his four overs. He began proceedings with a double-wicket maiden, grabbing the scalps of Jason Roy and Abdul Wahid Bangalzai for ducks before castling Umar Akmal with a sharp incoming delivery to leave Gladiators tottering at 13 for three in the third over.

Sarfaraz Ahmed could not offer much resistance and was sent back after a struggling 11-ball five on the first ball of the seventh over. It brought Iftikhar Ahmed to the crease with Guptill and the two batters added 69 runs for the fifth wicket in 52 balls before Iftikhar miscued a pull shot off Mohammad Amir to Imran Tahir.

What then followed was a blistering exhibition of quality striking from Guptill, who launched a death overs onslaught. The 36-year-old New Zealander reached his half-century in 44 deliveries and then accelerated to score the next 50 runs in just 18 balls. The highlight of his ballistic charge came in the penultimate over when he smashed three sixes and three fours off Andrew Tye. He clubbed 12 fours and five sixes in total as Quetta Gladiators posted 168 for seven.

In reply, Karachi Kings’ progress was beset by the loss of wickets at frequent intervals. Sharjeel Khan failed to add anything to his side’s score, falling to Mohammad Nawaz, while Haider Ali, also perishing for a duck, was bowled by Qais Ahmad.

The 11th over saw dismissals of Matthew Wade and Imad off Mohammad Hasnain’s bowling that left Karachi Kings struggling at 76 for five. Shoaib Malik then conjured a fighting half-century similar to his innings against Peshawar Zalmi on the same ground on Tuesday as the hosts took the game to the last over.

Malik played some delightful strokes in his 49-ball 71 not out embellished with eight boundaries and a solitary maximum. Irfan Khan made an unbeaten 37 off 26 deliveries with one four and three sixes. The unbroken 86-run stand between the two, however, was not enough to haul Karachi over the line as Naseem Shah (one for 29) and Hasnain (two for 29) gave away just six and seven runs respectively in the 18th and 19th overs leaving an improbable task of 24 runs in the last over of the game.

Scores in brief:

Quetta Gladiators 168-7, 20 overs (Martin Guptill 117, Iftikhar Ahmed 32; Imad Wasim 3-16, Aamer Yamin 3-37)

Karachi Kings 162-5, 20 overs (Shoaib Malik 71 not out, Irfan Khan 37 not out, James Vince 22; Mohammad Hasnain 2-29, Naseem Shah 1-29, Qais Ahmad 1-29)

Player of the match – Martin Guptill (Quetta Gladiators)

Sunday’s fixtures:

1400 – Multan Sultans v Islamabad United at Multan Cricket Stadium

1900 – Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars at National Bank Cricket Arena

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/

Multan, February 19, 2023 (PPI-OT):It was a forgettable maiden outing for Islamabad United at the Multan Cricket Stadium as Multan Sultans handed them their second biggest defeat (by 52 runs) in the HBL Pakistan Super League on Sunday afternoon.

Mohammad Rizwan and David Miller made terrific fifties on either side of the innings to propel the hosts to a towering 190 for four before a consolidated bowling effort – with Abbas Afridi’s maiden four-for standing out – skittled the visitors for 138 in 17.5 overs.

Rizwan became the only player to surpass the 200-mark in this edition over the course of his breezy 38-ball 50 that was studded with five fours and a maximum and Miller obliterated the visiting bowlers during his stunning 52, scored at a staggering strike rate of 208.

Despite another early dismissal of Shan Masood, Multan Sultans had a solid beginning with Rizwan and Rilee Rossouw (36 off 30) putting 91 runs in 65 balls. The two would have put more had Islamabad United not handed debut to Abrar Ahmed. The mystery spinner had the ever-dangerous Rossouw, who entered this contest at the back of 78 not out and 75, guessing and the intriguing contest between the two dried up the runs for Islamabad United. Rossouw could only score five off Abrar’s 11 balls as the spinner gave away only 21 runs in four overs.

Abrar was exceptional in his second spell – in which he bowled the ninth and 11th overs – as the batting side could only muster seven singles. Though Abrar could not take a wicket, the pressure that he had created garnered his side the wickets of Rossouw and Rizwan in the next two overs and Multan Sultans’ run rate nosedived to 7.53 from almost 10 before the beginning of the ninth over.

Miller staged an epic recovery smacking Shadab Khan for consecutive sixes on the first three balls and a four on the last ball of the 15th over that added 24 runs to the team’s total and dispatched Mohammad Wasim Jnr for a six and a four off consecutive balls two overs later.

Kieron Pollard, who has shown glimpses of his T20 batting prowess, joined the party by smoking Rumman Raees, who had been brilliant in the Power play, for a six and a four, in the 17th and finished off with consecutive fours on the last three balls of the innings.

Miller hit a boundary every 3.5 balls and was out on the first ball of the last over. His sparkling partnership with Pollard was worth 78 and had come in only 40 balls.

It was a typical start to the run chase for Islamabad United as their run rate hovered around nine in the Power play despite losing both openers to Mohammad Ilyas, who replaced Shahnawaz Dahahi after he injured his bowling hand. Rassie van der Dussen (49 off 32) and Colin Munro (31 off 23) threatened to take the game away from Multan Sultans during their 56-run stand, but Usama Mir inflicted twin blows in the 11th over to unravel the run chase.

Usama bowled a wily googly that kissed Munro’s leading edge on its way to Rizwan’s hands and Shadab Khan, one off three, mistimed a leg-break delivery that hurried onto him to be caught at deep square leg.

From here on it was Abbas Afridi’s show. The right-arm quick bowled Azam Khan in the 15th and accounted for van der Dussen, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Wasim Jnr in the 17th to finish with the career-best figures of four for 22.

Ever-impressive Ihsanullah picked up the last two wickets – Tom Curran and Abrar – on the last two balls of the match.

Multan Sultans now boast six wins in seven matches at the Multan Cricket Stadium. In this edition, they have three wins in four matches in the HBL PSL 8 and sit comfortably at the top of the points table.

Scores in brief:

Multan Sultans 190-4, 20 overs (David Miller 52, Mohammad Rizwan 50, Rilee Rossouw 36, Kieron Pollard 32 not out)

Islamabad United 138 all out, 17.5 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 49, Colin Munro 31, Hassan Nawaz 21; Abbas Afridi 4-22, Mohammad Ilyas 2-12, Ihsanullah 2-19, Usama Mir 2-33)

Player of the match – Abbas Afridi (Multan Sultans)

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Super League (PSL)
Pakistan Super League Secretariat, Gaddafi Stadium,
Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: info@psl-t20.com
Website: http://www.psl-t20.com/