A 115-run center made light work of a strong target as Qalandars remains unbeaten
Lahore Qalandars 179 for 1 (Zaman 82 *, Hafeez 73 *) beat Gladiators Quetta 178 for 6 (Gayle 68, Sarfaraz 40, Rauf 3-38) with nine wikis
This may not have been a T20 game, but it felt like an epic by the time Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Hafeez knocked Quetta Gladiators out of the tournament. At a back age, or so it seemed, Chris Gayle hit his highest PSL score, 68 off 40 balls – backed by a number of catches along the way – to help Quetta after 178, the first got highest innings of this competition. It looked like an overall game-winning amount then, but an incredible attack from Hafeez and Zaman Lahore Qalandars helped to make the target a short work, and they got there with more than left.
Hafeez was particularly destructive, grabbing a game that seemed to move with the scruff, forcing a demand level that had gone up above 11 back under a ball within a span of three peitean. It was like a stick cricket before last; The six and four hours that Hafeez hit seemed to come as easily as buttons pressed on a keyboard, with the apoplectic rage of skipper Quetta Sarfaraz Ahmed visible on world cameras. The second wicket partnership came without 115 runs out of just 58 balls, with Hafeez responsible for taking 73 from them in his 33 deliveries.
After being added to bats, Quetta revamped the batting line even though they made no changes. Banton and Saim Ayub fell early once again, with Lahore Qalandars allowing them just 38 runs in the Powerplay, but Gayle and Sarfaraz gathered a 101-run partnership that put Quetta back on track. Sarfaraz seemed to put time on the ball sweeter than he has witnessed for a long time, and although Gayle was not at the most fluent, that did not stop him from pushing five four times and as many as six on his way to the top- scoring for his side. Mohammad Nawaz added a cameo at the end and Quetta had every move then, but Hafeez and Fakhar had other ideas.
Star of the day
There was a bit of spice in the competition following a recent terse exchange between Hafeez and Sarfaraz on social media. When Hafeez was asked to bowl with Quetta’s captain at the firing range, additional risk was added in the game. While Sarfaraz got him off for a couple of limits off his second, the 40-year-old would get more back with the bat.
Hafeez would later tell Gayle that his muscles didn’t want to be like him, but what Hafeez has in his repertoire most people couldn’t have wished for. With little picture looking like it was played in anger, it bothered him – that word is used sensibly – his way to his fastest PSL half-century, where in just 24 balls , taking advantage of some sidewalk bowling and a very simple drop on the border with the young Saim Ayub. With the level of questioning coming down as fast as a parachute might be needed, he spun up even further, finishing with another 23 off just nine deliveries, the winning sot driving sadly over cover plus off the young Mohammad Hasnain.
It then shows why Hafeez is supporting itself as part of the World T20 plans in Pakistan, and if it is in this type, it will be at the heart of his franchise ‘s final title hopes. Landing of PSL.
Miss the day
In a game that could be explained as much by errors as individual brilliance, there were several who applied for this role. Agha Salman had an early lead, dropping Gayle twice at the corner of the cow in what seemed like moments of certainty, while Tom Banton and Saim Ayub fell early once more and both put Fakhar and Hafeez down once. . But Usman Shinwari’s third, who dropped 19 at the time when Lahore needed more than 11 overs to seal the win, marked the moment the last game turned out to be Quetta capitulated in amazing fashion.
Sarfaraz, perhaps inspired by the personal goal of getting one over Hafeez, would go on to publicly rebuke Shinwari after that, and how the fours and fours would drip down , his feeling would only grow higher. The negligence around the field seemed to have gone wrong before the winning scratches were hit, and it already looks like Quetta might have a high job if they are to turn the tide. -this campaign.
Honorable mention
Zaman was the Man of the Match, at least, and with 82 out of 52, it’s a hotel that deserves more than being overtaken by Hafeez’s glamor. It would relieve the pressure a lot as Sohail Akhtar at the other end was struggling to get out, making sure the required level didn’t get out of hand early. And when Hafeez joined him, he was by no means a second fiddle, continuing to show why, even though his international form is still inconsistent, he remains one. of the most popular players in the PSL.
Danyal Rasool is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @ Danny61000