LAHORE –
Lahore Qalandars beat Quetta Gladiators by 17 runs in the 18th match of the
Pakistan Super League 8 (PSL8) at Gaddafi Stadium today (Thursday).
Earlier, Quetta Gladiators displayed excellent bowling
and restricted the table toppers from building a big target. Batting first,
Lahore Qalandars scored 148 runs in 19.2 overs at the loss of all 10 wickets.
Chasing the target, the entire Quetta Gladiators team collapsed at 131 in 20
overs at the loss of seven wickets.
Gladiators bowled out Qalandars for 148 with four ball
spare in 20 overs. The Sarfaraz Ahmed's side dismantled the opening and middle
order before Sikandar Raza played heroic to help team set a reasonable
total.
Rashid Khan made 21 runs while no other player could
cross the 20-run mark due to impressive bowling by Mohammad Nawaz, Naveenul
Haq, Naseem Shah and others.
Earlier, Gladiators won the toss and opted to field
first.
After flying high with back-to-back wins in the
country’s flagship tournament, Shaheen Afridi-led Qalandars are set for another
power-packed action at home ground. Playing at the same stadium in previous
clashes, Qalandars managed to bag both of their fixtures.
Gladiators, after facing multiple blows in the ongoing
Twenty20 league, will be looking for a comeback. The squad earlier was outfoxed
by Qalandars in their last encounter.
Gaddafi Stadium’s pitch is touted as batting-friendly
and will help the power strikers raking big numbers.
In previous games in season 8 of the Pakistan Super
League, Qalandars are backed by their batters as the team managed to surpass a
200-run score in the last game without a single fifty.
On the other hand, Purple Force could not make any big
show in the ongoing cricket tournament. Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmad and hitter
Iftikhar Ahmad remained in form but the franchise is yet to pick up momentum.
The likes of Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Odean Smith have not been quite
successful of late.