Saud Shakeel’s laboured 65-ball 88 ensured the Quetta Gladiators sealed the playoffs by registering a six-wicket victory against Lahore Qalandars in the 28th match of the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Karachi on Sunday.
QUETTA GLADIATORS' INNINGS
Chasing a target of 167, the Gladiators completed the equation on the final delivery of the 20th over, when Mohammad Wasim motored Shaheen Shah Afridi for a towering six.
The architect of the Gladiators’ run chase was Saud Shakeel, who showed great temperament with the bat and spent 100 minutes on the wicket, lacing five boundaries and four sixes.
Shakeel played 22 dot balls and plundered 22 singles and 11 doubles, clobbering five boundaries and four towering sixes.
Khawaja Nafay scored 24-ball 26, lacing with one boundary,
Jason Roy (18), Rilee Rossouw (13), Laurie Evans (7), and Mohammad Wasim (7) could not show significant resistance with the bat.
For the Qalandars, Jahandad Khan (2-30) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-41) bagged two wickets apiece.
Zaman Khan (0–10), David Wiese (0–8), Tayyab Abbas (0–14), Sikandar Raza (0–32), and George Linde (0–30) remained wicketless.
LAHORE QALANDARS' INNINGS
Earlier, after electing to bat, the Qalandars posted 166-4 on the scorecard. Abdullah Shafique played brilliantly, whacking three boundaries and two towering sixes to compile an unbeaten 39-ball 59.
Shaheen Shah Afridi notched up fifty, scoring 34-ball 55, lacing two boundaries and four boundaries.
Sahibzada Farhan scored a 22-ball 25, clobbering four boundaries.
Mirza Baig (12), Shai Hope (5) could not show significant differences with the bat.
Sikandar Raza remained unbeaten on 5-ball 6.
For the Gladiators, Abrar Ahmed (2-31) scooped up two wickets.
Mohammad Wasim (1-28) and Mohammad Amir (1-30) took a scalp each.
Sohail Khan (0-25) and Akeal Hosein (0-50) remained wicketless.
The Qalandars had elected to bat first against the Gladiators in the domestic premium tournament.
TEAMS
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Khawaja Nafay, Rilee Rossouw (c), Omair Bin Yousuf, Laurie Evans (wk), Akeal Hosein, Muhammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed Sohail Khan
Lahore Qalandars: Sahibzada Farhan, Tahir Baig, Abdullah Shafique, Shai Hope (wk), Shaheen Afridi (c), Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, George Linde, Jahandad Khan, Zaman Khan, and Tayyab Abbas
