LAHORE, 20th Feb 2024: Khawaja Nafay’s scintillating knock sealed a superb five-wicket victory for Quetta Gladiators against Lahore Qalandars in the fourth match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 9 at the bustling Gaddafi Stadium on Monday night.
Nafay, who emerged as the hero for the Gladiators and also player of the match, smashed a rapid 60 runs from just 31 balls, a spectacular effort that featured four boundaries and three sixes. His innings played a pivotal role in chasing down the formidable target of 188 set by the Lahore Qalandars. Key contributions also came from Saud Shakeel, who crafted a well-made 40, and Jason Roy, who added a quickfire 24 to the scoreboard, ensuring their team crossed the finish line with finesse. The Qalandars’ bowling attack, despite showcasing variety, couldn’t stem the flow of runs from the Gladiators’ bats. Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Salman Fayyaz, and Sikander Raza each bagged a wicket, but it wasn’t enough to deter the determined chase from the Quetta Gladiators.
Earlier, Lahore Qalandars amassed an impressive total of 187/7. The duo of Sahibzada Farhan and Jahandad Khan were at the forefront of this batting masterclass, propelling their team to a strong position against the Quetta Gladiators.
Sahibzada Farhan, with a magnificent innings of 62 runs off 43 balls, decorated with six fours and three towering sixes, led the scoring for the Qalandars. Not far behind, Jahandad Khan’s explosive unbeaten 45 from just 17 balls, featuring three fours and four sixes, provided the late innings thrust to steer their team to a competitive total.
Despite the efforts of Quetta Gladiators’ bowlers, particularly Akeal Hosein and Mohammad Hasnain, who managed to claim two wickets each and were instrumental in keeping the Qalandars from breaching the 200-run mark, the home team showcased their batting depth. Hosein, with his economical spell, conceded only 17 runs in his four overs, while Hasnain was a bit expensive but clinched crucial wickets, ending with figures of 2 for 50.
The Qalandars’ innings saw a few hiccups, with early wickets including that of Fakhar Zaman for just 6 runs, and Rassie van der Dussen contributing a modest 15. However, the middle to late order rallied, with significant contributions from the likes of Sikandar Raza and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who chipped in with 18 and 12 runs respectively.
Quetta Gladiators’ bowling attack, despite being on the receiving end of the Qalandars’ onslaught, showed resilience. Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, and Abrar Ahmed each took a wicket, striving to curtail the flow of runs. However, the day belonged to the Qalandars’ batsmen, who set Gaddafi Stadium alight with their fiery batting display, setting a formidable target for the Gladiators to chase. The only match of today (Tuesday) will be played between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United at Multan Cricket Stadium at 7:00 pm.
SCORES IN BRIEF
QUETTA GLADIATORS
188/5 in 19.1 overs (Khawaja
Nafay 60*, Saud Shakeel
40, Jason Roy 24) beat LAHORE
QALANDARS 187/7 in
20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan
62, Jahandad Khan 45*; Akeal
Hosein 2-17, Mohammad
Hasnain 2-50) by 5 wickets.
Reference Link: https://www.nation.com.pk/20-Feb-2024/nafay-s-scintillating-knock-seals-victory-for-gladiators-against-qalandars
