In a thrilling clash at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium during the fourth match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, Lahore Qalandars posted a daunting 219/6 against Quetta Gladiators, thanks to Fakhar Zaman’s composed fifty and Sam Billings’ explosive 19-ball half-century on Sunday.
Opting to bowl first, Quetta struck early when Abrar Ahmed dismissed Mohammad Naeem in the third over, leaving Qalandars reeling. However, Fakhar Zaman, alongside Abdullah Shafique, steadied the ship with a dynamic 56-run stand, pushing the score to 73. Shafique, looking set for another fifty, fell for 37, caught and bowled by Akeal Hosein.
Fakhar pressed on, reaching his half-century in just 30 balls. He found a perfect partner in Daryl Mitchell, and the duo stitched together an 80-run partnership, with Mitchell smashing 37 off 23 balls. At 153/2 after 14.4 overs, Qalandars were in control, but the tide turned quickly.
Mitchell was stumped off Abrar’s clever bowling, and Fakhar, after a polished 67 off 37, holed out to Usman Tariq while going for a big shot. Sikandar Raza’s brief stay ended with just 6 runs, sparking a mini-collapse.
Enter Sam Billings. The Englishman turned the game on its head with a breathtaking 19-ball fifty, laced with four towering sixes and four boundaries. His late fireworks ensured Qalandars finished with a towering total of 219/6.
Quetta’s Abrar Ahmed led the bowling with two wickets, while Akeal Hosein also claimed two, but the rest struggled to contain Lahore’s onslaught.
Still hunting for their first win after a crushing loss to Islamabad United, Qalandars will hope this performance sets the tone. Meanwhile, Quetta, fresh off an 80-run thrashing of Peshawar Zalmi, will aim to keep their momentum going.
Teams:
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (c), Finn Allen, Hasan Nawaz, Kusal Mendis (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Shoaib Malik, Faheem Ashraf, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq
Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings (wk), Sikandar Raza, Jahandad Khan, Rishad Hossain, Haris Rauf, Asif Afridi
