ABU DHABI: Islamabad United stunned Lahore Qalandars with28-run victory in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six encounter at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium today (Sunday).
Chasing a tricky target of 153 runs, Lahore Qalandars’ opener Fakhar Zaman and Sohail Akhtar got their side off to a steady start. The two batsmen combined for a solid 55-run stand off 36 balls which laid a solid platform for their side to chase down the target.
Leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed finally got the better of Sohail Akhtar with a successful LBW after he had scored 34 runs off 19 balls. Batsman Zeeshan Ashraf soon followed, getting run-out after scoring just one run.
Then a double-wicket over by Mohammad Musa started to turn the tide in favour of Islamabad. Musa, in the 11th over, dismissed Mohammad Hafeez and Ben Dunk within two runs to bring his side back in the game. When Musa bowled the 13th over, he took the crucial wicket of Fakhar Zaman.
After Musa, Shadab bowled the 14th over and took wickets of Tim David and Rashid Khan to expose Lahore’s tail. In 14th over, Shaheen Shah Afridi and James Faulkner were sent back to the pavilion. The dismissals put Lahore at 100/9 at the end of the 15th over.
Islamabad United made sure there were no twists in the tale by taking Lahore’s last wicket at the second ball of the 18th over to wrap up the game. The win has propelled Islamabad United to the top of the table and pushed Lahore to the number 2 spot.
Earlier, a record-breaking 123-run partnership between Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed took Islamabad United from 20/5 to 152/7. Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Usman Khawaja with the third ball of the match.
Later, James Faulkner took the wickets of Rohail Nazir, Colin Munro and Hussain Talat to put Islamabad at 20/4 at the end of the powerplay. Later, Haris Rauf decided to join the party. Rauf took the wicket of Shadab to push United at 20/5.
However, despite the loss of five wickets, Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed took it upon themselves to lead United’s batting. A quick-fire fifty by Asif along with Ahmed’s support pushed United past 143 runs.
The two in the innings also made the record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in PSL history. The two had a partnership of 123 runs before Asif got himself hit wicket in the 18th over. The batsman was dismissed for 75.
