-
-
-
Loading
Loading
LAHORE: Fakhar Zaman was at his deadly best here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.
The southpaw’s characteristic swashbuckling hundred for Lahore Qalandars was the difference between the defending champions and their opponents, Quetta Gladiators.
The opener’s belligerent 103 — his first of the ongoing season — enabled Qalandars to register a narrow nine-run victory that kept their playoff hopes alive in the HBL Pakistan Super League.
After opting to bat first, Qalandars amassed 197-6 off the stipulated overs and then restricted Gladiators to 188-7 to clinch a thrilling victory.
Though Qalandars lost opener Mohammad Farooq (four), who was trapped in front by medium-pacer Khalil Ahmed in the second over, their scoreboard kept moving fast courtesy Fakhar’s fireworks that lifted his team to 58-1 in powerplay.
Abdullah Shafique (14 off 15) was sent back by spinner Abrar Ahmed in the seventh over as Qalandars were now 64-2.
At this stage, Charith Asalanka (31 off 24) joined Fakhar and the duo added an invaluable 96 runs to boost their team.
As Fakhar raced to his half-century off just 27 balls, Qalandars reached the hundred mark at the halfway mark.
Having completed 150 runs in 15 overs, Qalandars looked well set to post a total in excess of 200.
However, a flurry of wickets – three in a space of 11 deliveries – hampered their progress.
Asalanka, who struck three fours and a six in his innings, was lbw to pacer Brett Hampton in the 16th over. Then came the big prize. Fakhar, who had completed his century off just 50 balls, while trying to clear the ropes was caught brilliantly by Shamyl Hussain at long-off, giving off-spinner Usman Tariq his only wicket in the 17th over. Fakhar’s 51-ball knock contained 11 fours and six sixes. Sikandar Raza (five) was sent back to the hut by Khalil thanks to a nice catch by Rilee Rossouw at deep-midwicket as Qalandars slid to 171-5 in the 18th.
Daniel Sams (18 not out off 12) however steered his team to a total that proved just beyond reach of Gladiators in the end.
Khalil took two wickets for 38 while Abrar (1-43), Usman (1-31) and Hampton (1-32 in two overs) were also among wickets.
Gladiators in their chase started off decently as captain Saud Shakeel (17) and Shamyl (53 off 31) produced a 49-run stand before the former attempting a slog sweep was caught by Usama Mir at short fine leg off Raza.
After posting 55-1 in powerplay, Shamyl and Rossouw steered their team to 88-1 before a double blow hindered their progress.
Shamyl, having cracked five fours and three sixes, was run out and he was immediately followed by Hasan Nawaz for a golden duck, caught by Haseebullah Khan behind the wickets to a sharply-risen ball from paceman Haris Rauf in the 10th over. Gladiators were now 88-3.
As Gladiators reached 100 off 11.1 overs, Rossouw tried to keep his team in the game walloping 62 off just 29 deliveries with the aid of five fours and as many sixes. He added 40 with Khawaja Nafay (12 off 11) before the latter was dismissed by Usama in the 14th over.
However, the decisive moment of the game came in the 15th over when Rossouw top-edged a short ball from fast bowler Ubaid Shah leaving Gladiators at 149-5 in 14.5 overs.
Bevon Jacobs (two) and Hampton (seven) were dismissed by Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris respectively as Gladiators slipped to 160-7 in 17.2 overs, needing 38 off the final 16 balls. A tough ask indeed.
Abrar, at number nine, struck a 14-ball 24 not out laced with five fours but it was not enough.
Haris finished with two wickets for 28 while Shaheen (1-35), Ubaid (1-44 in three overs), Raza (1-23 in three overs) and Usama (1-33) also made contributions.
SCOREBOARD
LAHORE QALANDARS:
Fakhar Zaman c Shamyl b Usman103
Mohammad Farooq lbw b Khalil4
Abdullah Shafique c Usman b Abrar14
Charith Asalanka lbw b Hampton31
Sikandar Raza c Rossouw b Khalil5
Daniel Sams not out18
Shaheen Shah Afridi run out8
Usama Mir not out0
EXTRAS (LB-3, NB-1, W-10)14
TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs)197
DID NOT BAT: Haseebullah Khan, Ubaid Shah, Haris Rauf
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Farooq), 2-64 (Abdullah), 3-160 (Asalanka), 4-164 (Fakhar), 5-171 (Raza), 6-193 (Shaheen)
BOWLING: Joseph 4-1-23-0, Khalil 4-0-38-2 (2w, 1nb), Abrar 4-0-43-1 (1w), Hampton 2-0-32-1, Hasan 2-0-27-0, Usman 4-0-31-1 (3w)
QUETTA GLADIATORS:
Shamyl Hussain run out53
Saud Shakeel c Usama b Raza17
Rilee Rossouw c Haseebullah b Ubaid62
Hasan Nawaz c Haseebullah b Haris0
Khawaja Nafay c Shaheen b Usama12
Bevon Jacobs c Farooq b Shaheen2
Brett Hampton b Haris7
Alzarri Joseph not out3
Abrar Ahmed not out24
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2, NB-1, W-3)8
TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs)188
DID NOT BAT: Khalil Ahmed, Usman Tariq
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-49 (Saud), 2-88 (Shamyl), 3-88 (Hasan), 4-128 (Nafay), 5-149 (Rossouw), 6-158 (Jacobs), 7-160 (Hampton)
BOWLING: Shaheen 4-0-35-1, Ubaid 3-0-44-1 (1w, 1nb), Sams 2-0-21-0, Raza 3-0-23-1, Usama 4-0-33-1, Haris 4-0-28-2 (2w)
RESULT: Lahore Qalandars won by nine runs.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Fakhar Zaman
Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2026
if you want to get more information about this news then click on below link
More Detail