In the second match of the Pakistan Super League 10th Edition (PSL X), Quetta Gladiators set a massive 217-run target for Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi Stadium on Saturday.
Powered by explosive fifties from Saud Shakeel and Finn Allen, along with valuable contributions from Hasan Nawaz, Rilee Rossouw, and Kusal Mendis, the Gladiators set a formidable target for Zalmi.
Asked to bat first, Quetta’s opening pair of Finn Allen and skipper Saud Shakeel made an aggressive start, hammering boundaries with ease.
The duo raced to 67 runs without losing a wicket in the powerplay, showcasing their attacking intent early on.
The seventh over turned out to be a key moment in the innings as Finn Allen smashed 23 runs off Sufiyan Muqeem, bringing up his maiden PSL fifty on debut.
However, on the last ball of the over, Muqeem broke the 88-run stand by dismissing Allen for a blistering 53 off just 25 balls, leaving the Gladiators at 88/1.
Hasan Nawaz came in next, joining Shakeel, and together they continued to build momentum. Saud Shakeel led from the front, bringing up his third PSL fifty off just 35 balls.
The two formed a solid 63-run partnership before Shakeel was dismissed for 59 by Zalmi’s young pacer Ali Raza, with the score at 151/2 in the 15.3 overs.
In the next over, Hasan Nawaz became the third Gladiators player to depart, scoring 41 off 32 balls before falling to Alzarri Joseph. This left the Gladiators at 158/3 in the 16.1 overs.
Rilee Rossouw and Kusal Mendis took charge in the final overs, adding a fiery 58-run partnership. Rossouw remained unbeaten on 21 off 10 balls, while Mendis played a blistering cameo of 35 off 14 balls, guiding the Gladiators to a challenging total of 216/3.
Zalmi’s bowlers struggled to contain the run flow, with Ali Raza, Alzarri Joseph, and Sufiyan Muqeem picking up one wicket each, but none were able to make a significant impact on the scoreboard.
