Tag: (PSL)

Lahore, February 21, 2023 (PPI-OT):Peshawar Zalmi had their second win of the HBL Pakistan Super League as they defeated Peshawar Zalmi by four wickets with nine balls spare at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Monday night.

Peshawar Zalmi were set 155 to win and a breezy opening partnership between Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam and solid contributions in the middle order from Rovman Powell and Jimmy Neesham made it seem like a cakewalk in the end as Quetta Gladiators faced their second defeat in three matches.

Twenty-one-year-old Haris set the run chase on fire in the second over by spanking Mohammad Nawaz for consecutive fours on the first three balls, and Babar stroked him for another four on the fifth ball as Peshawar Zalmi gathered 17 runs, and had 29 runs on board by the end of the over.

Mohammad Hasnain – who was splendid with his lengths and finished with remarkable figures for three for 13 in four – turned the tables with back-to-back dismissals of Haris and Saim Ayub. The right-arm fast struck again in the next with the wicket of Tom Kohler-Cadmore as Peshawar Zalmi slipped to 47 for three.

After a two-over-long lull, Babar was plumb off Nawaz, and as Quetta Gladiators started to believe, Jimmy Neesham turned the tide with a four and a six off his first two balls. He added 46 with Powell (36 off 23) that weathered the storm before Naseem Shah bowled the West Indian in the 13th over.

Neesham took on the attack and clubbed Qais Ahmed for a six and two fours in the 15th to reduce the number of runs required than the balls remaining. Though he was out in that over, Neeshan, who was named the player of the match later, had done enough for Wahab Riaz and Dasun Shanaka to take Peshawar Zalmi over the line.

Naseem, who after giving away eight in the first over finished with one for 19 in four, and Hasnain bowled beautifully in the next two overs. Naseem allowed only two in the 16th – one of them being a leg-bye – and Hasnain delivered the 17th a maiden.

When Shanaka dispatched Smith for a boundary in the 18th that pretty much settled the game. Peshawar Zalmi needed seven off the last two overs, and Wahab finished the game by hitting Nawaz, who had a forgettable outing and returned 48 for one from 3.3 overs, for consecutive fours through covers.

It was a fighting 50 not out off 34 – comprising four sixes and two fours – by Iftikhar Ahmed that took Quetta Gladiators to a respectable score of 154 for four after a poor start from the openers. It took 11 balls for Quetta Gladiators to get their first score and they could muster only 28 runs in the Power play, which concluded with the wicket of Martin Guptill (12 off 16).

It took only six more legal deliveries before Peshawar Zalmi had another scalp – this time of the second opener, Jason Roy (14 off 23). Usman Qadir, playing his first match of the HBL PSL 8, bowled beautifully and deceived the right-hander with a googly, after setting him up with consecutive leg-break deliveries, to rattle his stumps.

The leg-spinner struck again in his next over, this time trapping Mohammad Nawaz right in front, to leave the batting side struggling at 37 for three at 8.3 overs mark.

Peshawar Zalmi had to wait, and wait for a long time, for their next wicket as Iftikhar and Sarfaraz Ahmed staged a brilliant recovery with a 74-run stand. Sarfaraz, who made 39 off 30, displayed why he is as good against the spin bowling as he smoked Usman for two fours – albeit after a reprieve – in the 15th. He had dispatched Dasun Shanaka for two consecutive fours at the start of the last over, that ended with Iftikhar clubbing him for a big six.

Sarfaraz was bowled off an Arshad Iqbal Yorker in the 17th after Iftikhar hit him for a four and a six earlier in the over. The dismissal brought Odean Smith in the middle and that played in the batting side’s favour. The West Indian all-rounder scored a brisk 25 not out off 12 – hitting four fours, three of which were off Jimmy Neeshan in the 18th, and a six, as Quetta Gladiators gathered 66 in last five.

Scores in brief:

Quetta Gladiators 154-4, 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 50 not out, Sarfaraz Ahmed 39, Odean Smith 25 not out; Usman Qadir 2-26)

Peshawar Zalmi 157-6, 18.3 overs (Jimmy Neesham 38, Rovman Powell 36; Mohammad Hasnain 3-13)

Player of the match – Jimmy Neesham (Peshawar Zalmi)

Points table:

Team

Matches – Won – Lost – Points – Net Run Rate

Multan Sultans – 4 – 3 – 1 – 6 – 2.107

Peshawar Zalmi – 3 – 2 – 1 – 4 – -0.632

Karachi Kings – 4 – 1 – 3 – 2 – 0.499

Islamabad United – 2 – 1 – 1 – 2 – -0.832

Quetta Gladiators – 3 – 1 – 2 – 2 – -1.069

Lahore Qalandars – 2 – 1 – 1 – 2 – -1.65

Tomorrow’s fixture:

1900 – Quetta Gladiators 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/

Karachi, February 20, 2023 (PPI-OT):Karachi Kings steamrolled Lahore Qalandars to record their biggest win in the HBL Pakistan Super League history – by 67 runs – at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Sunday evening. Chasing an imposing 186, Lahore Qalandars, playing their second match after defeating Multan Sultans in the opener, were all out for 118 in 17.3 overs. This is Karachi Kings’ first win in four matches this edition.

Karachi Kings’ decision to open with overseas openers in Matthew Wade and James Vince paid dividends as the pair posted the side’s highest Powerplay score of this edition – 61 for none. Wade and Vince had set a perfect platform for their side to post a towering total before their 71-run partnership came to a halt because of a run out at the start of the eighth over with Wade falling short in his bid to take the second run. The Australian wicketkeeper-batter made 36 off 24.

A 32-run partnership between Vince and Haider Ali (18 off 16) followed that denied the visiting bowlers further inroads. A flurry of wickets reduced Karachi Kings to 124 for four from 102 for one with Haider, Shoaib Malik (10 off seven) and Vince (46 off 36) walking back to the pavilion.

Lahore Qalandars, however, failed to make the most of this turnaround and Imad Wasim, the Karachi Kings skipper, once again displayed the explosive side of his batsmanship with a splendid 35 not out off 19, studded with two sixes and as many fours. He was duly supported by Ben Cutting, 20 off 19, as the pair added 52 off 35 and lifted the home side to 185 for five.

Lahore Qalandars had a decent beginning to the run chase with Fakhar Zaman and Mirza Tahir Baig racing their side to 40, before the former was bowled by Aamer Yamin at 4.2 overs mark. Muhammad Irfan Khan took a marvellous catch at backward point in the next over off Mohammad Amir to restrict Shai Hope’s stay to just two balls, off which he scored one, as the problems now compounded for the Qalandars.

A 41-run partnership between Tahir and Kamran Ghulam (23 off 22) followed, but the pair failed to keep up with the scoring rate. One after the other, both batters were sent back to the pavilion by Akif Javed in the 13th over and when Kamran, the last of the two, was caught, Lahore Qalandars required 99 off only 44.

That proved to be the turning point of the match and from there on, no Lahore Qalandars batter could put up resistance. Akif finished with four for 28. Aamer and Cutting took two wickets each.

Lahore has a chance to avenge the defeat when the two teams meet in Lahore on 12 March – the last match of the league stage.

Scores in brief:

Karachi Kings 185-5, 20 overs (James Vince 46, Matthew Wade 36, Imad Wasim 35 not out, Ben Cutting 20)

Lahore Qalandars 118 all out, 17.3 overs (Mirza Tahir Baig 45, Kamran Ghulam 23; Akif Javed 4-28, Ben Cutting 2-12, Aamer Yamin 2-18)

Player of the match – Imad Wasim (Karachi Kings)

Monday’s fixture

1900 – Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi at the National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi

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/

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/

Lahore, February 17, 2023 (PPI-OT):Rilee Rossouw’s red-hot form continued on Friday as his blistering 75 off 36 anchored Multan Sultan’s to a comfortable 56-run win over Peshawar Zalmi at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The left-hander smoked 12 fours and two sixes as Multan Sultans posted the highest score of this edition – 210 – after being asked to bat, before Peshawar Zalmi were bowled out for 154 in 18.5 overs.

Rossouw arrived in the middle at the 7.2 overs with the scorecard reading 54 for one. Though Shan Masood stuttered to his 20 off 25, Mohammad Rizwan’s free flowing innings ensured that the hosts’ run rate stayed at par.

Rizwan made 66 off 42 – studded with nine fours and a six – before he was undone by a wronger one from left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem. It was after this wicket that Rossouw cut loose and began the onslaught. He added 75 runs in just 35 balls with David Miller, who made 23 off 14, and his superlative knock ended on the last ball of the penultimate over when Salman Irshad hit his back leg as he attempted a reverse sweep.

This was Rossouw’s second half-century in the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 in as many matches.

Kieron Pollard kept the rhythm going, spanking Wahab Riaz for a six and two fours in the last over, which was marred by two no balls and fielding lapses, and added 19 runs to the Multan Sultans’ total. The bulky West Indian made 15 not out of six.

Peshawar Zalmi required a flying start and they got that with Mohammad Haris dispatching Khushdil Shah and Sameen Gul for three sixes – two were hit of consecutive balls off the latter – in the first two overs and racing his side to 22. Multan Sultans, however, struck gold in the fifth over when Ihsanullah, the hero of Multan Sultan’s win against Quetta Gladiators, got Babar Azam out LBW.

The wicket brought Saim Ayub on the crease, who drove Ihsanullah for four with a glorious cover drive. He smoked him for a six over deep fine leg latter in the over and brought Peshawar Zalmi back into the contest.

What followed next must have pleased the Pakistan cricket fans and is a good omen for the national cricketing set up. This pair of these young cricketers – Saim is 20 and yet to make international debut, while Haris, who lightened up the T20 World Cup in Australia, is 21 – put 47 in 4.2 overs with their high quality repertoire of strokes.

Saim came into this tournament after a terrific National T20, where he guided Sindh to the title by scoring 416 runs at an incredible strike rate of 155.22. The left-hander was the second best batter in the tournament behind Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Sahibzada Farhan, who had made 13 runs more.

Saim clubbed Carlos Brathwaite for a towering six over long on at the start of the sixth over, but the moment of the innings came on the first ball of the seventh, when he played a no-look flick for a six over fine leg off Abbas Afridi. Haris would treat Abbas with another maximum at the end of the over.

Abbas, however, had his revenge of sorts when a mix up saw Haris in the middle of the pitch and his direct hit sent the right-hander back to the pavilion after scoring 40 off 23 with four sixes and a four.

Saim held his end, but the wickets continued to fall from the other end, and with a massive total on the board, the pressure continued to mount. Saim, however, went on to score his maiden HBL PSL fifty with a 37-ball 53 (three sixes and as many fours) before he was undone by Usama Mir, who bowled exceptionally for his three for 22 in four overs.

Ihsanullah (three for 24) and Abbas (two for 33) cleaned up the remaining batting order from that point as Multan Sultans, the finalists of the last edition and the winners of the 2021, sailed to their second win in the tournament and to the top of the points table.

Scores in brief:

Multan Sultans 210-3, 20 overs (Rilee Rossouw 75, Mohammad Rizwan 66, David Miller 23 not out, Shan Masood 20; Salman Irshad 2-38)

Peshawar Zalmi 154 all out, 18.5 overs (Saim Ayub 53, Mohammad Haris 40, Rovman Powell 23; Usama Mir 3-22, Ihsanullah 3-24, Abbas Afridi 2-33)

Player of the match – Rilee Rossouw (Multan Sultans)

Saturday’s fixture:

1900 – Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators 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/

Lahore, February 16, 2023 (PPI-OT):Karachi Kings will have to wait longer to open their account in the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 as explosive knocks from Colin Munro and Azam Khan set a comfortable win for Islamabad United at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Thursday night. Islamabad United chased 174 at the loss of six wickets and 10 balls spare in what was their first match of this edition. Munro smashed 58 at a scorching strike rate of 207.14 and Azam made 44 at 157.14. The two put together 56 runs in 31 balls.

Karachi Kings began well in the second innings as tight lines and lengths from Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Musa allowed only 13 runs and sent back Hasan Nawaz in the first three overs. The first signs of Islamabad United’s domination and Munro’s intentions came in the fifth over as the left-hander spanked Musa for three fours after he had thudded Paul Stirling’s pad with a Yorker on the first ball. Munro and Rassie van der Dussen, making his HBL PSL debut, attacked the Karachi Kings’ bowlers from that point – putting a match-defining 59-run stand on 31 balls.

Van der Dussen scored 31 off 25 and was bowled by Imad Wasim – most economical bowler on either side with the figures of one for 19 in four overs – in the 10th over that brought Azam to the crease. The wicketkeeper-batter spanked Musa for two fours and a six in the 12th over to ensure Islamabad United retained momentum.

He took on Musa once again, in the 16th over, after Munro was run out because of a mix-up, this time smoking him for three fours, but was caught at midwicket. By then, however, the match was settled as Islamabad United needed only 23 off 24. It was all too easy for them in the end. Fahim Ashraf hit Amir for consecutive fours through backward point in the 18th over before an incredible one-handed catch diving to his right by Irfan Khan sent the left-hander back.

With two required off 11, Tom Curran clubbed Shoaib Malik for a gigantic six over long on to finish the proceedings. There was a silver lining for Karachi Kings, however, as Haider Ali struck form with a scintillating 59 off 45, in which he hit seven fours and two sixes. Haider put up a solid partnership of 77 for the second wicket with Sharjeel Khan, who made 34 off 26. As the partnership started to look threatening, Tom Curran removed Sharjeel and Karachi Kings lost next three wickets in quick succession with Mohammad Wasim Jnr accounting for Matthew Wade and Imad Wasim in consecutive balls.

Blows down the order from Shoaib (18 off 10), Muhammad Irfan Khan (19 off 11) and Andrew Tye (12 not out of five) took Karachi Kings to a respectable 173 for seven. Three Islamabad United bowlers – Wasim Jnr (two for 38), Rumman Raees (two for 26) and Tom Curran (two for 42) – shared six wickets between them equally, while Faheem Ashraf bowled exceptionally well for his one for 25 in four overs.

Scores in brief:

Karachi Kings 173-7, 20 overs (Haider Ali 59, Sharjeel Khan 34; Rumman Raees 2-26, Mohammad Wasim Jnr 2-38, Tom Curran 2-42)

Islamabad United 178-6, 18.2 overs (Colin Munro 58, Azam Khan 44, Rassie van der Dussen 31; Mohammad Amir 2-30, Mohammad Musa 2-48)

Player of the match – Colin Munro (Islamabad United)

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/